Can't say that' surprised, I think he caused more issues then he solved while being part of Google. Slamming the employees of dropcam, after the merger was just one example of his poor management style.
Jan Dawson, an analyst with Jackdaw Research, said the split was necessary because of the increased tension between Fadell and Alphabet's management, and the outsize media attention it was getting. "This should allow Nest to move on without the distraction of the recent news stories and criticisms," he said.
