Mozilla now has named its new leader and it"s a person who has been with the company for quite a long time. Today, Mozilla announced that company co-founder Brendan Eich, who has served as its chief technology officer since 2005, will take over as its new CEO.
In a blog post, Mozilla notes that Eich has been with the company since it was first launched in 1998 and helped to develop the Netscape Navigator browser, the direct ancestor to Mozilla"s Firefox. Perhaps his biggest achievement is creating JavaScript, which remains one of the most used programming languages for website developers.
In an interview with CNet today, Eich says that Mozilla"s number one priority will be to expand its Firefox OS efforts, rather than its web browser. The HTML5-based mobile operating system that launched in 2013 has received mixed reviews so far, but Eich says that he wants to see it grow in the marketplace, especially with the cheap $25 smartphone market. However, he would not state when Firefox OS will make a formal introduction to the U.S. when asked.
Eich takes over from former Mozilla CEO Gary Kovacs, who announced his departure in April 2013 after leading the company for two and a half years. Jay Sullivan served as acting CEO during the long search period and Mozilla says he will depart the company after a undisclosed transition period.
Source: Mozilla | Image via Mozilla