Current CEO of Mozilla Corp, John Lilly has announced he is leaving his position as CEO later this year. Lilly is going to pursue new challenges as a venture capitalist, something that has been in the works for the past few years.

Sometime this year John will step down from his role as CEO at Mozilla to join the venture firm Greylock Partners, returning to his original plan of investing. John will remain on the Board of the Mozilla Corporation. And he will also remain at Mozilla during the transition. The timing of this announcement — just as we begin a formal search for a new CEO — is to make this process more open than is generally the case and is a reflection of the uniqueness of Mozilla as a public benefit organization dedicated to openness and participation in Internet life.

It has only been a little over two years since John Lily became the new Mozilla Corp CEO back in January 2008 succeeding Mitchell Baker.

Sources: Mozilla Links | Mitchell’s Blog | John’s Blog