Tony Fadell is stepping down as the head of Nest Labs, effective immediately.
The move is yet another in a tumultuous history since Google purchased the smart thermostat in 2014 for $3.2 billion, its third-largest acquisition ever. The deal brought in not only a hot product in a growing segment, but Fadell himself, a proven executive in the hardware space.
After what Fadell calls a ‘grueling’ year, one that saw the failed release of a smoke and carbon monoxide detector (recalled due to software problems), Nest employees publicly complaining about his management style, and infighting over missed sales targets and botched upgrades, the move puts an end to the saga and starts a new chapter for the smart home division of Alphabet.
Fadell will be replaced by former Motorola Home CEO Marwan Fawaz and will stay on in an advisory role for the immediate future.
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