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Brian McAndrews 
26 posts and columns on Brian McAndrews
Yahoo CEO Search in Final Stages, With Levinsohn and Kilar in Lead
For goodness sake, Yahoo board: Pick already!
Here Are Some More Yahoo CEO Choices: Liddell, Rosenblatt, Desmond
Let’s throw a few more names on the fire!
Yahoo Intensifies Search for CEO (With Hulu’s Kilar as One Dream Unicorn Candidate)
Wanted, one magical exec to work miracles against increasingly troublesome dragons. Ability to sparkle a plus.
Softie Ad Exec Siebrecht to Join AdReady Start-Up
Apparently, not everyone leaves Yahoo to join Microsoft. On Friday, sources said, it was announced internally at Microsoft that Karl Siebrecht, the former president of Atlas at aQuantive, is joining AdReady at the end of the month as president and COO. AdReady, based in Seattle, bills itself as an “advertising technology company focused on making online display advertising accessible and effective for advertisers of all sizes.”
Microsoft on the Hunt for a New Head of World-Wide Online Sales, Even as Yahoo Talks Continue
Microsoft is searching for a major executive to run its world-wide online sales, said several sources close to the situation, even as talks with Yahoo about a deal to partner in its search and display advertising businesses continue. “They need to find a way to make money in display,” said one source close to the situation. “Or, I guess, find a way to not lose quite so much.” The software giant has been trying to build its online business for many years now, spending a lot of money and not getting very much traction. Meanwhile, the talks Microsoft has been having with Yahoo about outsourcing its online display sales to the Internet giant, among other scenarios, continue.
MSN Changes Afoot?
According to several sources, more restructuring is about to hit Microsoft’s online division as various departments are moved among and between its top execs, with changes to be announced as early as today. While BoomTown is still gathering information, it looks like longtime Microsoft exec Yusuf Mehdi, who is now in charge of marketing, online audience business development and product management for MSN and the search properties, will get more added to his portfolio, including overall business development for the online properties. Mehdi could eventually get purview over programming for MSN too, said several sources.
Microsoft Sales Vet Leaves, After Consolidation Post-Qi Lu Hire
In the wake of the changes at Microsoft’s online division, a senior ad sales exec, Bill Shaughnessy, is set to leave his post, the company confirmed. The departure was first reported in Ad Age, which said Shaughnessy’s future plans were undetermined and, in fact, noted it was unclear why the longtime Microsoft staffer of 15 years was leaving. Here’s why: Consolidation.
Ex-Yahoos Weigh In on Their Choices for New Yahoo CEO
With so many more ex-Yahoos out there now, BoomTown put out feelers to a range of them to ask whom they would like to run the company they no longer work for. After all, who better than to pick a new CEO than an ex? The response was swift and varied wildly, depending on which way the ex-Yahoo felt the company should go, from a basic turnaround expert to–drum roll, please–his digital Holiness, Steve Jobs of Apple. No kidding.
BoomTown Decodes Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's Memo on New Digital Guru, Qi Lu (So You Don't Have To)
BoomTown strives to bring readers the very best in internal memo decoding, and this one is just too good to pass up. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer sent a short memo to employees this afternoon about finally hiring someone to head the software giant’s lackluster digital efforts. That someone is former Yahoo tech star Qi Lu. He will become president of the Online Services Group at Microsoft, right after the new year. Thus, let us try to read between the lines.
Microsoft Officially Confirms Qi Lu Hired as Digital Chief; McAndrews Out
Microsoft moved up its announcement of former Yahoo tech star Qi Lu as its digital head. BoomTown reported on the selection this morning. As part of the changes, Microsoft digital ad head Brian McAndrews, who had also wanted the job, is leaving. Here’s the full release.