Google co-founder Page replacing Schmidt as CEO

Google unveiled a surprise shakeup of its top management on Thursday, announcing that co-founder Larry Page would replace Eric Schmidt as chief executive of the Internet giant in April.

Schmidt, who has served as Google’s high-profile CEO for a decade, would remain with the Mountain View, California-based company as executive chairman, focusing on partnerships, customers and government outreach, Google said.

Schmidt, 55, will also act as an advisor to Page, 37, who served as CEO previously, from 1998 to 2001, and Google’s other co-founder, Sergey Brin, Google said in a statement.