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The Searchers: Sergey Brin, Larry Page, and Eric Schmidt

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The Google (GOOG) executive triumvirate, with Schmidt as CEO and co-founders Brin and Page as respective presidents of technology and products, works as a seamless team at the top of the search giant. Up to now, their key task has been to manage the breakneck growth of the company, now comprising more than 18,000 employees and expecting $16.2 billion in sales this year, up 53%. Even the declining economy has not yet seemed to slow its dominance in Web search and search-based advertising. But that very success is creating challenges, namely a backlash against their increasing power online from competitors, advertisers, and government regulators. Now, their main job will be convincing the world they mean it when they spout their informal corporate motto, "Don't be evil."

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