Patrick Pichette, who is 52, and Google's chief financial officer has decided to retire. In a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday, Google said Pichette has not given an effective date of his retirement.

"Patrick indicated that he intends to assist in the search for a new CFO and ensure an orderly transition, which the company expects will occur within the next six months," it added.

In a post on his personal Google+ page, Pichette said he could not find a good argument to tell [my wife] Tamar we should wait any longer for us to grab our backpacks and hit the road. 

Google has reportedly disappointed analysts and investors of late. Revenue rose 15.3 per cent to $18.10bn for its fourth-quarter results. Wall Street had expected $18.46bn. Pichette joined the company in 2008. He has worked in the telecommunications sector for nearly 20 years.