Google CEO recovering - but from what?
Larry Page makes an appearance after being away for two weeks, and missing two major events.
Larry Page makes an appearance after being away for two weeks, and missing two major events.
July 13: Google CEO Larry Page appeared back in the office on Monday, according to chairman Eric Schmidt.
"He's still recovering. Larry is doing much better. He was in the office on Monday," Mr Schmidt told Reuters. "Larry ran the meeting. He is talking, but talking softly."
But apart from saying Mr Page lost his voice, last month, the chairman has not detailed the CEO's condition, and did not elabourate today.
Mr Page missed several major events, including the annual shareholder meeting, a quarterly earnings call, and Google's I/O conference, which included a preview of the Nexus 7 tablet.
Concerns mount over Google CEO's mysterious absence
June 25: Questions are being raised about the mysterious disappearance of Google CEO Larry Page, with The Wall Street Journal drawing parallels with Apple's refusal to detail Steve Jobs' illness.
Earlier last week, Mr Page missed taking the stage at the I/O developer conference because, in the words of executive chairman Eric Schmidt, he had "lost his voice".
Senior Google executives have said Mr Page will miss two more events in coming weeks, says the Journal.
Mr Page sought to allay fears on Friday with an email to staff that said, "there is nothing seriously wrong with me" and that he would "continue to run the company".
However, the email has on served to fuel rumours, and calls for disclosure to investors.
The Journal quotes Devine Capital Partners' Rick Devine saying Mr Page's absence from two major events, and others in the weeks ahead - which will include Google's quarterly earnings report, if the company keeps a similar timetable as last year - are "highly unusual".
"It's hard to imagine a CEO missing that much stuff and not have a serious problem."
And a JP Morgan Chase analyst has reportedly told clients he finds it odd the Google CEO has already been ruled out of the company's quarterly earnings call, given it is serveral weeks away.
The Journal notes securities law requires a board to disclose any information that could lead investors to sell their shares - and also that companies are also torn about a CEO's right to privacy.
Severe laryngitis could take the Mr Page out of action for several weeks if surgery was required. But if that is the case, what not be up-front?
So far, Google shareholders are unfazed.
The company's stock [NAS:GOOG] was up 1.1% on Friday, pacing a broader Nasdaq rise.