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MICROSOFT

Microsoft hires former top Yahoo search exec to head online services

By Eric Engleman on December 4, 2008 at 2:31 PM PST

Comments (5) | Permalink

Advertising | Internet search | MSFT | Microsoft | YHOO

Microsoft today confirmed that Qi Lu, a former search and advertising executive at Yahoo, will join Microsoft as president of the online services group.

Lu left Yahoo in August 2008 -- one of several Yahoo executives who left over the summer. He'll join Microsoft on Jan. 5, 2009, and will oversee a number of online services business units, including Advertiser & Publisher Solutions under Scott Howe, Online Audience headed by Yusuf Mehdi, Research & Development under Satya Nadella, and Finance managed by Rik van der Kooi.

In another shift, Brian McAndrews, the former CEO of digital marketing firm aQuantive, will leave Microsoft, the company announced.

McAndrews joined Microsoft when the software giant acquired aQuantive for $6 billion last year, and rose to the level of senior vice president for Advertiser & Publisher Solutions. [See related story: Microsoft's online shakeup makes former aQuantive CEO a free agent.]

Microsoft also shifted some online sales units as part of the announcement.

The news that Lu was about to join Microsoft was reported by Kara Swisher on AllThingsD this morning.

Anonymous said:

on December 4, 2008 at 3:06 PM

Terrific. The hardest working and smartest guy from Yahoo now at Microsoft. This is better than buying the company for tens of billions!

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Anonymous said:

on December 4, 2008 at 3:30 PM

Loss of McAndrews is big problem for Microsoft. Microsoft really needs to figure out how to retain top talent hired from outside the company. Why do they think that Qi Lu is going to stick?

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Anonymous said:

on December 4, 2008 at 4:10 PM

McAndrews didn't *choose* to work at Microsoft...he came by way of acquisition. Often such execs leave after a stint at the acquirer (when their contract expires so they can get maximum payout).

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Bob said:

on December 4, 2008 at 7:00 PM

McAndrews grew a profitable advertising company and made his shareholders a lot of money. That's makes him pretty unique among MS executives, acquired or otherwise.

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Searchguru said:

on December 4, 2008 at 10:01 PM

Yes, this is just an experiment for Qi Lu. He is not going to be around 12 months from now - Its just not a fit lets put it that way. I hope he proves me wrong but my prediction is he will go back to "someone" in the bay area.

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