As per the confirmation received from Microsoft, it has hired Qi Lu was with Yahoo for 10 years. Qi Lu quit from Yahoo in August and now he will be joining Microsoft to take care of Microsoft’s Online Services Group. When he was with Yahoo, Qi Lu served the position of vice president of the Search and Advertising Technology Group. In his new job, he will serve as President of Microsoft’s Online Services Group. He will assume his duties from 5th of January 2009. He is expected to report to Microsoft’s CEO, Steve Ballmer. Qi Lu will be taking the chair of Brian McAndrews and he was the senior vice president of the Advertiser and Publishers Solutions Group, Microsoft. McAndrews will transfer the responsibilities to Qi Lu over the coming months and this is expected to be a smooth transfer of responsibilities. It is interesting to note Yahoo’s skills coming to Microsoft. Will Qi Lu continue to speak Yahoo or start thinking Microsoft? We need to let time to answer this question.
Microsoft hopes to revamp its online business that has been lying flat for quite some time with the help of Qi Lu. Microsoft tried everything possible to revive the performance of its online business and spent heavy budgets on its endeavors but to see no success. Qi Lu is expected to look after a number of groups including but not limited to the Advertiser and Publisher Solutions business. Online Audience business will also come under Qi Lu, which was handled by Yusuf Mehdi.
Qi Lu was with IBM before he joined Yahoo in 1998. He was part of the research team at Almaden Research Center. Prior to Yahoo, he was with the Carnegie Mellon University as research associate. So he has been with a number of top companies and institutions. He comes with a vast experience, which Microsoft hopes to put into use for its benefit especially when its online business is dwindling. Qi Lu has 20 patents in the US and has his doctorate in computer science from the Carnegie Mellon University.
There are number of changes within Microsoft and all these changes indicate that Microsoft is trying to make the best use of the resources it has already. It has also brought in new skills and experience into the organization in the form of Qi Lu. All these efforts are to fight its competition successfully and to increase its own revenue. Getting Qi Lu from Yahoo might look like a planned move though it is well spaced to avoid any such suspicions. Will Qi Lu be that wonder worker that Microsoft hopes him to be? Qi Lu, even if he does not work wonders, his experience and credentials vouch for his abilities and talents. He will certainly stabilize the existing scenario and will take Microsoft’s online business to the higher levels.