Google, shareholders to meet

(AP) -- Google Inc. will hold its first shareholders meeting since co-founder Larry Page took over as the Internet search leader's CEO.

Thursday afternoon's meeting at Google's Mountain View, Calif. headquarters is being held nearly two months after Page reclaimed the CEO job that he once held from Eric Schmidt.

Schmidt, 56, had been Google's CEO for a decade before the recent shake-up. He is now Google's executive chairman.

One thing hasn't changed Page, an aloof figure through most of Google's 13-year history, has continued to shun the spotlight so far as CEO.

Page, 38, spoke briefly in mid-April when he popped in to a conference call held to discuss Google's first-quarter earnings. After applauding the results, Page departed without offering any insights into his management strategy.

Most of Google's previous six annual shareholder meetings have included appearances by Page. He has joined in some on the question-and-answer sessions although Schmidt has traditionally done most of the talking. That's a role Schmidt may still fill as the head of Google's board of directors.

Shareholders could have a lot on their minds. Google is facing a growing competitive threat from Facebook's tools for connecting people together online and intensifying government scrutiny of Google's business practices and privacy policies. Some investors may wonder why Google's stock price has dropped by 16 percent since the company's Jan. 20 announcement about Page taking over as CEO. The technology-driven Nasdaq composite index has edged up by 2 percent during the same time.

Another potentially hot topic cropped up Wednesday when Google said computer hackers in China had broken into the Gmail accounts of several hundred people, including top U.S. government officials that the company didn't identify. The attacks have been thwarted and victims notified, according to Google.

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