Brad Goldberg

We've confirmed another notable leadership change in Microsoft's online business: Live Search general manager Brad Goldberg is headed for the door. But don't add his name to the short list for Yahoo CEO. Goldberg is leaving to become chief executive of the online business at the Peak6 investment company.

The Redmond company acknowledged Goldberg's impending departure in response to an inquiry this evening, describing the situation as amicable. Another Microsoft veteran, Mike Nichols, will replace Goldberg as general manager of Live Search product management at the beginning of the year.

"We are pleased to welcome Mike to the team and wish Brad the very best in his new role," Microsoft said in a statement.

Goldberg was the latest Microsoft executive in the daunting role of leading its search business against Google. During his tenure, Microsoft launched initiatives including Live Search Club, Live Search Cashback and Live Search Perks, trying to gain ground against the search king. Microsoft recently cited progress in commercial queries, but its overall share of the market has remained below 10 percent.

In his Microsoft position, Goldberg's role included leading efforts to come up with a new brand for Live Search. That process produced the Kumo name, among other candidates, but it's not clear when or whether Microsoft will go ahead with a rebranding. The situation has been complicated by Microsoft's on-again, off-again efforts to acquire or partner with Yahoo's search business.

Microsoft has made a series of leadership changes in its online business in recent months, including naming veteran executive Yusuf Mehdi as senior vice president of its online audience business, with oversight of areas including MSN and Live Search.

Nichols, Goldberg's replacement, previously worked for Mehdi in strategic partnerships. Prior to that, Nichols was in search engineering.

On a broader level, the company recently named former Yahoo executive Qi Lu the new president of its Online Services Business. One of Lu's biggest challenges will be breathing new life into the Redmond company's search initiatives.

Goldberg joined Microsoft in 1997, working over the years in areas including servers, developer tools and Windows. His wife, Michelle Goldberg, is a partner at the Ignition Partners venture capital firm. They'll be staying in the Seattle area.