Microsoft Search Executive: Scorecard Update
August 22, 2008
I have a tough time keeping track of Microsoft “search” executives. Imagine my surprise when I read in Network World here the following:
Microsoft has appointed former Multimap CEO Jeff Kelisky to be the general manager of a new business unit focused on commercial search
I’m not sure what this means, “commercial search”. Elizabeth Montalbano, who wrote the story that caught my attention–“Microsoft taps Multimap CEO to Steer Commercial-Search Unit”–is a pretty clear writer. She clarified my understanding (a little, I think). She writes:
the new unit would be a part of Microsoft’s larger Search Business Group, the general manager of which is Brad Goldberg.
Ms. Montalbano includes Microsoft “search” guru, Satya Nardella, the boss of Microsoft search and portal advertising. She mentions Chris Liddell. She does not mention Gary Flake, former Yahoo search guru.
Please, read the story yourself and let me know if you can help me answer these questions:
- What happened to the top dogs at Fast Search & Transfer and Powerset?
- Who is in charge of SharePoint “commercial” search?
- Who is in charge of search in other Microsoft products like Dynamics?
- What is “commercial search”?
I guess I’m not smart enough to understand who these folks are or what their plan is to close the modest market gap between Google and other search engines, including those available from Microsoft. Help me out, please.
Stephen Arnold, August 22, 2008
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2 Responses to “Microsoft Search Executive: Scorecard Update”
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I think John Lervik is still at Microsoft running enterprise search wthin the SharePoint team. Barney Pell of Powerset’s blog has its last post as the acquisition announcement. In that post, he indicates he’ll be staying on in a “strategy and evangelist role.” (http://www.barneypell.com/)
Dave Kellogg,
What are the requirements to be a “strategy evangelist”? Sounds like a combination of a McKinsey/Booz Allen & Hamilton skill plus some Kentucky religion expertise.
Might be interesting.
Stephen Arnold