Google co-founder Larry Page is to become chief executive of the US internet search giant in April.
He will take over from Eric Schmidt, who has been in the job for a decade and will become executive chairman.
Google said Mr Schmidt would focus on “deals, partnerships, customers and broader business relationships”.
The surprise news came as Google unveiled strong net profits in the last three months of $2.54bn (£1.6bn) on revenues of $8.44bn.
Mr Page, 37, is reclaiming the job he relinquished to Mr Schmidt, 55, when investors called for a more experienced …

Amazon has agreed to buy online movie rental service Lovefilm.
The American internet retailer, which already had a significant stake in the London company, said Lovefilm had a “productive and innovative” future.
The move is largely seen as a defensive ploy against a planned international expansion by US video-streaming giant Netflix.
But Lovefilm chief executive Simon Calver said the deal would help the company improve its online services.
“The deal is a winner for the members who love Lovefilm because of its value, choice, convenience and innovation in home entertainment,” he said in a …

The BBC has announced its head of Future Media and Technology, Erik Huggers, is to quit for a job at the microchip giant Intel, before deep cuts at the Corporation.
Following his departure at the end of February, Mr Huggers’ broad remit will be split, with each division overseen by one of his current deputies. Chief Technology Officer John Linwood will oversee the backroom technology that runs the BBC, while Ralph Rivera will become Director of Future Media, responsible for services such as the iPlayer.
Sources say Mr Huggers, 37, has been …

Tayside police have announced plans to use micro-blogging platform Twitter to better communicate with the public.
The social experiment, which is set to last three months in Auchterarder, Crieff and Kinross, will involve police officers giving regular updates on crime prevention, traffic and meetings to the general public.
According to a report on BBC News, the Tayside Police force will be the first in the country to allow the public to send anonymous feedback via the MyPolice website.
A spokesperson for the MyPolice website told the BBC: …