WebProNews

Tag: hires

  • Uber Steals Google’s Head of Communications and Policy

    Uber has scored another high-profile poach.

    Rachel Whetstone, who served as Google’s head of commutations and public policy, has jumped over to Uber. She’ll be replacing David Plouffe as Senior Vice President of policy and strategy. a job he took in September of last year.

    Re/code suggests that “the reason for the switch seems to center on the need for someone in that job more experienced at assembling and managing a global comms and policy army for a company that is faced with a still daily barrage of controversies, regulatory thickets and more.”

    Controversies abound, that’s for sure. As public policy head, Whetstone dealt with Google’s many dustups with regulators – both at home and abroad.

    Plouffe will remain involved with Uber, ceding day-to-day operations to Whetstone. He’ll apparently serve as a chief advisor and will also join the board.

    This isn’t the first high-profile steal for Uber as of late. Last month, the company stole Facebook’s Chief Security Officer Joe Sullivan.

    “It’s no longer about traditional metrics for safe transportation or keeping our community’s data private and secure, but about how we lead efforts to redefine and strengthen physical and data security in the location-based world. We see opportunities ahead not just in technology, through biometrics and driver monitoring, but in the potential for inspiring collaborations with city and state governments around the world. Our goal is to redefine what it means to be a world-class, people-centric protector of privacy,” said Uber CEO Travis Kalanick at the time.

    Kalanick has yet to comment on the new hire, but she’ll definitely have to deal with some of the same issues moving forward – as well as the fact that Uber faces bans and lawsuits in many of the zones in which it operates.

    Image via Google

  • Biz Stone’s Jelly Hires Another Ex-Apple Engineer

    Biz Stone’s mysterious startup Jelly has just made another interesting hire. This time it’s Brian Kadar, a former Apple software engineer.

    Here’s what Stone had to say about Kadar:

    “Born and raised in Queens, NY, Brian has a BFA in Visual Communications which he decided to use as a backdrop for pursing web development. Before Apple, Brian built experiences for brands at a boutique advertising agency in NYC. Ben and Austin were lucky enough to be introduced to Brian through a mutual friend. Before I’d even had a chance to meet him, Brian started building some amazing mobile web experiences based on the basic concept of Jelly.”

    This isn’t the first ex-Apple engineer Jelly has grabbed recently. In June, Jelly announced that they had hired Loren Brichter, a former Apple engineer who worked on the original iPhone. He also spent time working with Twitter, where he developed the “pull-to-refresh” user interface mechanics patent.

    Other high-profile hires include Mac OS designer Austin Sarner and Twitter’s Ben Finkel as CTO (he also co-founded the company).

    That’s a bunch of interesting hires, sure. But what exactly is Jelly? Stone has been very careful not to reveal anything. We know that it is a primarily mobile-focused app, and signs point that it may have something to do with “social good.”

    “People are basically good – when provided a tool that helps them do good in the world, they prove it. Jelly is a new company and product named after the jellyfish. We are inspired by this particular animal because neurologically, its brain is more ‘we’ than ‘me.’ Also, for the past 700 million years, this decentralized structure has been wildly successful,” said Stone when he announced Jelly back in April.

    In May, Jelly announced that it had closed its Series A funding, lead by Spark Capital with investment from SV Angel. They also disclosed some early investors and it turned out to be a rather interesting list – names like Jack Dorsey, Bono, and Al Gore.

    Whatever Jelly is, we won’t know for some time. Stone has said this himself. But they are building a talented staff, that’s for sure.

  • Facebook Ad Engineer John Hegeman Departs for Quora

    Quora, the self-proclaimed “best source for knowledge” on the internet, has just snagged Facebook engineer John Hegeman, according to reports.

    TechCrunch says that Hegeman confirmed the move on his Facebook Timeline (in a private post). In the post, Hegeman says that he’ll be joining the engineering team at Quora in “a few weeks.” Here’s the post in full:

    Today is my last day at Facebook. I feel extremely fortunate to have spent five and a half years working with and learning from such an exceptional group of people. In particular, I want to thank Mark for building this incredible company and my managers Yishan, Kang-Xing, Greg, and Boz for all of the mentorship and opportunities that they have given me. The decision to leave wasn’t easy, but I’m very proud of all that the ads team has accomplished and I’m extremely confident that the team is in good hands. I look forward to seeing the great work I know they will continue to do. Looking forward, I’m excited to be joining the engineering team at Quora in a few weeks. I’m grateful to Adam for this opportunity to work with him and the rest of the team at Quora who are building an incredible product. I can’t wait to get started.

    Hegeman has been an engineer on Facebook’s ads team since 2007. Before that, he attended Stanford.

    Back in December, Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo announced that the company had a new mission. It was a growth mission, to shake up the usual Q&A format that Quora is known for and work to “share and grow the world’s knowledge.” Earlier this year, Quora launched blogs and a rich text editor.

  • HP Announces New EVP of Enterprise Services

    Back in August, HP announced a huge $8 billion write-down stemming from the loss of value seen in Electronic Data Systems (EDS). HP bought the company in 2008 for $13.9 billion. As part of the announcement, the company sacked John Visentin, HP’s head of Enterprise Services and replaced him with temporarily with an EDS executive named Mike Nefkens.

    Today, HP has made Nefkens’ position official. He is now HP’s executive vice president of Enterprise Services.

    Nefkens joined EDS in 2001, and worked at Holland Chemical International NV for a decade before that.

    “Mike has led some of our most successful account turnarounds and has already had a very positive impact on the business,” said Meg Whitman, HP president and CEO. “I’m confident in Mike’s ability to build our services business and contribute to HP’s long-term goals.”

    HP certainly needs some account turnarounds at this point. The company just last month announced another huge write-down of $8.8 billion. This time, though, HP blamed most of the charge on its Autonomy subsidiary, accusing its former management of fraudulent accounting practices and misrepresenting the value of the company.

    Sine that announcement, extensive finger-pointing has ensued between HP and former Autonomy CEO Mike Lynch. Lynch claims Autonomy’s value has tanked due to HP mismanagement and a corporate culture of infighting. HP has said it looks forward to Lynch and other former Autonomy executives testifying under penalty of perjury.

  • New CNN President Named: Jeff Zucker

    New CNN President Named: Jeff Zucker

    CNN Worldwide today announced that Jeff Zucker will take the reigns of the global media company as its CEO. Starting in January 2013, Zucker will oversee the 23 news and information businesses under the CNN brand, including CNN International, CNN.com, and HLN.

    “I am thrilled to join the distinguished team of journalists across the worldwide platforms of CNN,” said Zucker. “The global reach and scale of the CNN brand is unparalleled in all of news. Outside of my family and the Miami Dolphins, there is nothing I am as passionate about as journalism. I spent the most rewarding years of my career as a journalist, and it’s where I look forward to spending many more. I am grateful to Phil Kent for this opportunity, and I’m excited to return to daily newsgathering and compelling storytelling in a place that values those above all else.”

    Zucker began his career as a researcher for NBC Sports, and was named executive producer of NBC’s Today show in 1992. From there, he rose through NBC to eventually become president and CEO of NBC Universal in 2007.

    Turner Broadcasting System CEO and Chairman Phil Kent announced Zucker’s appointment.

    “Jeff’s experience as a news executive is unmatched for its breadth and success,” said Kent. “He built and sustained the number-one brand in morning news, and under his watch NBC’s signature news programming set a standard for quality and professionalism. As a programmer, a brand-builder and a leader, he will bring energy and new thinking to CNN. I couldn’t be happier to welcome him or more excited about what he’ll accomplish here.”

    (Photo credit: David Shankbone via Wikimedia Commons)

  • Yahoo Gets A New Executive To Lead Talent Acquisition

    Yahoo announced today the appointment of Jacqueline Reses to the role of Executive Vice President of People and Development. She’ll be responsible for leading HR and talent acquisition. She’ll also lead corporate and business development at the global level.

    Previously, Reses led media group Apex Partners. She has also served as CEO of real estate software company iBuilding. Before that, she spent seven years at Goldman Sachs.

    “We are very excited to have Jackie join the Yahoo! team, leading our efforts around finding and retaining the best talent,” said Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer. “Jackie brings two decades of uniquely applicable operational experience around structuring organizations, programs, and strategies to build world-class teams in media and technology. Her tremendous energy will serve our employees well, and we’re looking forward to her fresh perspectives.”

    She added in a tweet:

    “I’m thrilled to be joining the Yahoo! family,” said Reses. “As Yahoo! looks to develop and define its future, hiring, managing and incentivizing talent will be of key importance. Building on my background, we will also do a rigorous assessment of corporate development and partnership opportunities.”

    Since taking over as CEO , Mayer has been reviewing every hire at Yahoo, according to a report from Business Insider, citing “a Yahoo executive involved in hiring”. Perhaps this particular hire will free up some of her time in that regard.

  • Is Hulu’s CEO Heading To Facebook?

    Is Hulu’s CEO Heading To Facebook?

    Hulu CEO Jason Kilar has just jumped from one rumor whirlwind to another, as the New York Post is reporting that Kilar may be on his way to Facebook.

    The Post quotes sources that say Mark Zuckerberg is very interested in Kilar and is considering him for a “senior role” in the company.

    Kilar joined Hulu after years of work with Amazon. At Amazon, Kilar was instrumental in getting the company to move toward the video business.

    Kilar is bouncing around the executive pipeline as of late, as Facebook is the second high-profile company that’s reportedly eyeing the Hulu CEO. Last week, it was reported that Yahoo! had narrowed down their CEO search to two men – Kilar and current interim CEO Ross Levinsohn.

    But shortly after that news came down, Kilar bowed out of the race, with Hulu releasing the following statement:

    As has been reported, Jason Kilar has been a focus of the Yahoo CEO search committee. He has graciously declined to be considered.

    In a “senior role” at Facebook, could Kilar help direct focus to online video, feature films, or social interaction among viewers on the network? It would make sense. The Post also speculates that Kilar could be in Zuckerberg’s crosshairs in order to boost Facebook’s online video advertising.

    Hulu has declined our request to comment.

  • HTC Hires a New President for North America

    HTC announced today that Mike Woodward has become its new president of North America. Woodward will be overseeing HTC’s sales, marketing, and operations for the U.S. and Canada.

    “I have been fortunate to witness first-hand HTC’s leadership in mobile innovation, design and consumer experiences, and am proud to be joining a team known for putting consumers at the center of everything they do,” said Woodward. “During my career in the rapidly evolving mobile industry, I’ve participated in some of the most significant phone launches across the globe, and I’m glad to combine that experience with the talents and culture of HTC.”

    Woodward has left his position as vice president of consumer wireless device portfolio at AT&T Mobility to take the position at HTC. He also previously held postions at PacketVideo, Motorola, and in the U.S. Navy. Woodward will be reporting to Jason Mackenzie, president of global sales and marketing at HTC.

    “With solid business acumen and expertise in product planning, marketing, sales and business development, Mike brings strong leadership and vision to our North America business,” said Mackenzie.

    It is interesting that HTC is hiring new leadership at this time, since needs a solid strategy for marketing in North America. Though Apple’s patent lawsuit was part of the reason the HTC One X was not a huge success in the U.S., it is also clear that HTC was not able to ink deals with all of the major U.S. carriers the way Samsung was for the Galaxy S III. And with Samsung gaining on Apple, it is do-or-die time for HTC. While its products may be solid, it will take a concerted marketing effort to get back in the U.S. smartphone race.

  • Nintendo Hires Its First VP of Network Business

    Nintendo of America today announced that it has hired its first ever senior vice president of network business. Duncan Orrell-Jones (pictured) will be taking the newly-created position starting July 1. Nintendo states that Orrell-Jones will be heading up the development of Nintendo of America’s digital strategy for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U video game consoles. He will be reporting directly to Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime.

    “Duncan Orrell-Jones brings knowledge and hands-on experience to Nintendo that will help us develop and implement long-term digital initiatives for our systems,” Fils-Aime said. “By creating this new position we’re demonstrating our commitment to the expansion of our online business, and Duncan is the perfect person for the job.”

    The creation of a network business SVP position shows a new focus that Nintendo is placing on its online services. The company has been constantly releasing content for its e-Shop, and has expanded its portable online options on its 3DS handhelds. More importantly, Nintendo recently announced that it is jumping onto the downloadable content (DLC) bandwagon by offering downloadable Coin Rush levels for purchase in the months following the game’s release.

    Orrell-Jones will be leaving his position as senior vice president of Disney Interactive (Disney’s video game division) to take on the Nintendo job. There he was responsible for expanding Disney’s game business outside of the U.S., and at one point served as general manager for Disney Interactive’s Asia Pacific division in Tokyo.

  • StumbleUpon’s New VP of Product Surfs, Wears a Green Hat

    StumbleUpon announced today that it has hired Cody Simms as its new vice president of product. Simms will be leaving his current position as vice president of product management at Yahoo to fill the job. The StumbleUpon position will put him in charge of the company’s product management and design, including the Paid Discovery advertising platform.

    “Cody has great experience and vision connecting consumers with engaging and entertaining experiences online,” said Garrett Camp, chairman and co-founder of StumbleUpon. “During his time at Yahoo, he created and grew several key properties and held leadership roles across a number of different high profile initiatives, including media, social, developer platforms, and publisher networks. We believe his experience will take StumbleUpon to the next level.”

    Simms held various positions at Yahoo for almost seven years. Before that, he held product management positions at The New York Times, Sprint, and NBC’s internet division. He lists surfing as his hobby, though another seems to be wearing his favorite green trucker hat.

    “StumbleUpon is solving an incredibly exciting problem: there is an ever-growing, nearly infinite amount of media available to discover and no easy way to know what’s new and interesting,” said Simms. “StumbleUpon has stepped in as your personalized guide for the web, providing a simple interface across all key devices to help you easily discover new, surprising, and engaging content matched to your interests. We’re redefining content discovery, and I couldn’t be more excited to join.”

    In an example of how clearly tech-savvy Simms is, his Twitter handle is simply his first name, @Cody. His Twitter stream is currently filled with replies to congratulatory well-wishes, though he did take the time to reveal why he left his established position at Yahoo to join a startup:

  • Demand Media: Mobile an Essential Part of Our Business Going Forward

    Demand Media announced today that it has hired Michael Kirby to lead the company’s mobile strategy, which CEO Richard Rosenblatt says is “essential” to its business going froward. Kirby’s official title is SVP & GM, Mobile. It’s a newly created position at the company.

    The role includes “strategic oversight of the company’s existing mobile products and the identification of opportunities for expansion in the mobile category.”

    The position may be new, but Demand Media isn’t exactly new to mobile. It already offers various mobile products including diet and fitness apps for its LiveStrong brand, a yardage/score-tracking app for its Golflink brand, a GPS-based app for its Trails.com brand, a Cracked.com iPad app, and of course the mobile eHow interface. Last month, Demand Media’s Pluck launched some new tools to help brands boost their own mobile presences on iOS and Android.

    It would appear that we can expect Demand Media’s mobile offerings to get a significant boost.

    @demandrichard
    Richard Rosenblatt    Mobile is an essential component of our business going forward and we hired a senior exec to make it happen… (cont) http://deck.ly/~ss7dN 1 hour ago via TweetDeck · powered by @socialditto

    “Michael has been at the center of each critical evolutionary shift in community, social and mobile the industry has seen thus far,” says Demand Media EVP, Media and Operations, Larry Fitzgibbon. “Michael’s uncanny ability to envision the future of the mobile space makes him the right person to propel our mobile portfolio beyond its current reach.”

    Kirby has been a game producer at Activision, run e-commerce at ESPN, overseen strategy and operations at FOX Sports Interactive, served as EVP/GM of MySpace parent company Intermix Media (after it was acquired by News Corp. in 2005), and was most recently the Chief Revenue Officer at GOGII, where he was responsible for the development of revenue streams for the textPlus app, which ranks in the top 40 of Apple’s App Store’s most popular free apps of all time.

    More revenue streams are an important part of reducing dependence on Google. Demand Media recently saw a 20% dip in search referral traffic to its flagship eHow property as a result of Google’s Panda algorithm update, though the company still did pretty well on its latest earnings report.

    “Demand Media is uniquely positioned to put useful information in the palm of your hand right when you need it most,” says Kirby. “No other company can combine content and context in quite the same way, which makes the possibilities for mobile here incredibly exciting.”

    It will be very interesting to see which directions the company takes its mobile strategy in first. The possibilities are certainly increasing as Demand Media makes new partnerships with celebrities, deepens social media integration with social networks like Facebook (see Pluck/Buddy Media deal), and acquires other properties (like CoveritLive).

    The mobile landscape itself is certainly creating more work in this field, new platforms emerging for smartphones and tablets (not to mention Chromebooks).

  • YouTube Gets New Content, TV/Film Leaders, Snags Netflix Acquisitions VP

    YouTube announced a couple of new additions to its team. Neither are Feross Aboukhadijeh, the creator of YouTube Instant, who was recently offered a job by the company. 

    He told us the other day, "I haven’t actually accepted the YouTube offer yet. We’re still figuring out how this is all going to work out, and nothing’s final yet. However,  [CEO] Chad [Hurley] and the engineers I spoke with were excited about the possibilities." 
     

    The new additions are a bit higher up in the chain of command than Aboukhadijeh would be, I suspect. One is a new Global Head of Content, and the other is a new Global Head of TV and Film Entertainment. YouTube co-head Salar Kamangar introduces them:

    Dean Gilbert is joining us as YouTube’s new Global Head of Content and will oversee our global content team as we work to expand our existing relationships and forge new ones. A veteran of the cable industry, Dean’s leadership roles have included serving as Executive Vice President and General Manager of @ Home Network. Over the last four years, Dean has provided leadership at Google across across a wide range of media products, including Google TV, YouTube and Google TV Ads.

     
    Robert KynclRobert Kyncl is joining us as our new Global Head of TV and Film Entertainment. Robert comes to YouTube from Netflix, where he was Vice President of Content Acquisitions, spearheading the company’s content acquisition strategy for streaming TV shows and movies over the Internet. He was also instrumental in transitioning Netflix’s business from DVD-by-mail to streaming. In his new role, Robert will build our content partner presence in Hollywood, overseeing our content partnerships across the studios, broadcasters, cable networks, talent agencies and new media companies. Chris Maxcy will continue his executive leadership role as Global Head of Music and Games, focusing on our global music business.

    The Kyncl hiring is particularly interesting, raising questions about what this means for Netflix, who has been pretty impressive in its competition in the movie rental industry thus far. Competition in that space is heating up, and it will be interesting to see how the company’s strategy holds up with this change.

  • MySpace Hires Tom Cox To Oversee Business Strategy

    MySpace announced that it has appointed Tom Cox as its new Senior VP of Business Development, which means he’ll be responsible for crafting and implementing the overall business strategy for MySpace. It also means he’ll be identifying and negotiating partnerships for the company.

    "Cox brings to MySpace a proven track record for crafting innovative strategies, structuring productive relationships, and building successful businesses and partnerships within the technology and online media industries," the company says.

    Tom Cox gets new gig at MySpace Cox was Principal and Co-founder of Stratique Partners, an exec-level consulting firm specializing in providing strategic guidance for clients in the tech and media industries. "Since its inception Stratique Partners has advised over a dozen companies ranging from early-stage start-ups to leading consumer-facing product companies reaching more than 40 million users," MySpace says.

    Before Stratique, Cox was the VP of Business Development at AOL. There, he directed partnership activities, led the acquisition of Weblogs, and played a "critical role" in crafting AOL’s open web strategy.

    Cox joins the company as soon as today. He’ll be based out of the company’s Beverly Hills headquarters.