Twitter’s stepping up their international advertising game by not just taking a page out of Google’s playbook, but by taking actual Google players. Two former Google advertising executives, Shailesh Rao and Stephen McIntyre, have been hired on by Twitter as the company seeks to expand its advertising efforts in the international arena.
Given that 70% of Twitter users are outside of the United States, beefing up the international advertising market might be seen as an obvious and good move by the company. Adam Bain, Rao and McIntyre’s future boss, tweeted a welcome message to the advertising duo early this morning.
@adambain
adam bainI’m pumped about two important international sales hires for @Twitter: @shaileshrao & @stephenpmc, both joining from Google. Huge welcome.
6 hours ago via web · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
McIntyre will be assuming duties in March as director of online sales and operations. According to Bain, McIntyre will be head of Twitter’s international self-serve business located in Dublin.
McIntyre didn’t waste any time moving on from Google: he’s already updated his bio on his profile on Twitter to say, “Currently at The Google. Soon to be inside The Tweet-machine.” Additionally, he thanked his new boss for the warm welcome.
@stephenpmc
Stephen McIntyre@adambain Thanks for the warm welcome Adam! You really should go to bed though… 6 hours ago via web · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
Rao, who was most recently the head of Google’s ad business in Asia, will as of April be the new Vice President of International Revenue. He’ll be relocating to Twitter’s base in San Francisco but, unfortunately, couldn’t be reached for comment on the new job because:
Well. We’ll just assume that Rao is tweeting delightfully about his new digs in San Francisco.