The Pichai panic

What do you call a CEO who throws out the bathwater and ensures the baby goes down the drain with it? You call him Sundar Pichai.

The timing and framing of his recent BBC interview serve as a masterclass not in leadership but in sabotage. There is irrational exuberance, and then there is a form of irrational cynicism so poorly timed it borders on fiduciary vandalism.

Before we go any further, let us examine the forensic evidence of this self-inflicted wound.

Speaking to the BBC recently, Pichai opted for the role of global sceptic over that of captain of industry.

"Maybe four years ago, Google was spending less than $30 billion per year. This year, that number is going to be over $90 billion," he lamented, sounding less like a visionary investing in victory and more like a middle manag