Update: A Microsoft spokesperson told MediaNama that the company has no comment on this development at this point in time, neither a confirmation or denial. They’ll let us know when there’s an update.
MediaNama has learned from multiple reliable sources that Neville Taraporewalla, CEO & Online Media Director (Asia Pacific) for Publicitas Digital, will be joining the Microsoft. According our sources, Taraporewalla will head the companys Advertiser & Publisher Solutions Group in India, and be a part of CIO MD Hemant Sachdev’s leadership team. At the time of filing this story, Taraporewalla was not reachable, and we’re currently awaiting a response to an SMS sent to him, requesting a confirmation. We’ve also written to Microsoft for a confirmation.
The Advertiser & Publisher Solutions Group comprises of all of Microsoft’s advertising related platforms and services, including MSN.
We wouldn’t be surprised if Microsoft eventually brings sales in-house. At present, sales for MSN is being outsourced to NDTV Media. Microsoft has been looking for someone to head sales over the past few months.
There’s clearly something afoot at MSN in India, with quite a few senior Internet industry executives joining the company. Sanjay Trehan, former CEO of NDTV Convergence had joined MSN earlier this year, and from what we’ve heard, Salil Kumar, COO of NDTV Convergence who recently resigned, may be joining the company as well.
Taraporewalla had joined Publicitas two years ago from Connecturf, where he was MD and CEO. Prior to joining Connecturf, Taraporewalla was Country General Manager of Yahoo in India. So, a former Yahoo man at Microsoft…
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10 Comments until now.
Good Move! Hemant is doing a first class job of assembling the best digital brains (despite their age) in one place. Now his challenge is to get provide them with an entrepreneurial environment with out interference from Seattle and Bangalore, adequate funding and support and I am sure we will start seeing some really interesting stuff out of MS. The challenge is everything at MS must be approved by people around the world and most people from sales who get most of the current revenues. Having said that… I like many others …am still hoping!!!
With Google Adsense, does anyone has a chance to beat it? May not be impossible but I doubt it.
Its money my friend. I am sure Mr Bing would be offering anything for any one who has been anyone in internet space. Nikhil, who all are left and going to MSN?
I am left … where should i send my resume ..
luv ur comments vas guy
Stop dreaming about Bing. It is more of hype. Google is king but I would be happy to see more competition. Let Bing become popular because of the product and not because of hype
Microsoft has not done a single thing right on the net. It is the truth
In this industry- where skillsets are matched by 'keywords' used to describe your profile in the last job- the pool looks limited- and publishers like Microsoft will have to live with what they see. What is seen is what is sold.
The Indian industry should breed younger and more dynamic managers. Not to lessen the importance of experience or the skills of these people – but it is the sign of era we live in- maybe a few years down the line 'maturity' will be needed- but right now we need dynamism, unbridled entrepreneurship, risk takers and managers with hard core skill sets at the top.
So many shifts have been reported in media in this industry- and most of them have been generic management profiles and with no particular credentials in terms of breaking grounds- except for bagging themselves high profile positions in companies that have been struggling to the get the digital thing right.
Bitter but true
Signed- Katu Satya
Hey! MSN has been hiring and firing people from last 2-3 years from thr advertising business.
also the same people they have recruited also been jumping jobs as business heads. ST and NT both are looking for best possible option to jump from the last 4-5 years. I don't see any major contribution by them in the India internet industry.
MSN should have got some youth talent, with Bing coming to life….I think they really need more aggresive people….not Job hopers.
MSN's UV and PV in India has been flat for the last 3 years.
The Scale of MSN India is about 20 people. Why would you even need so many 45 50 year olds running something this small.
Better question – what are so many people with 20-25 yrs experience doing running a 20 employee company ??
These are at best Senior Manager-Director levels jobs……with desi type title inflation to "Head", "COO", Couuntry Deputy Associate CEO". Like they are taking over the Digital world.
Ya…this happens in many companies.
If you have a 10 person Sales team scattered across the country. The guy in Delhi and Bombay will calll themselves COO Sales (North) even if he has 1 or 2 people only under him.
They make it sound like as COO (North) they are managing 200-300 people.
MSN is all about title inflation. They hardly have some 20 people out there. And u need a CEO and a COO and Directors and Heads and what have you.
How does it matter how many people are there in the org. It is more imp as to what the scale is and how productive the team is. This is a very Old world mentality of having more people under you meaning more powerful you are. it is more imp to runa tight and profitable ship than a bloated loss making one