This is a huge win for MSN: Steve Berkowitz is joining Microsoft as the VP in charge of MSN, the Microsoft division that includes the MSN Internet portal and search businesses.
Berkowitz is currently the CEO of IAC’s search business (Ask.com, primarily)..he was AskJeeves CEO prior to the sale of the company. He will replace Microsoft Senior VP David Cole, who Microsoft announced last month will take a leave of absence from the company starting in May.
Berkowitz will report to Kevin Johnson co-President of Microsoft’s Platforms & Services Division, which houses MSN and the Windows product groups. He will start May 8. Prior to Ask/IAC, Berkowitz was the President and COO of IDG Books, where he was loooking after the “Dummies” series.
At IAC, its president and COO Doug Lebda will oversee the business until a successor is chosen.
FT: Writing in an internal email, Kevin Johnson, co-head of Microsoft’s platforms and services division, said; “At Ask, Steve is credited with building the management team that orchestrated the turnaround of Ask.com, grew their user base, increased customer satisfaction, and gained share in the search market over the last year.”
NYT: Berkowitz, however, will have more limited responsibilities than Cole had. He will run marketing, sales and business development for MSN and the new Windows Live brand, which is meant to incorporate Microsoft’s mail, IM and search services. He will not oversee product development.
Charlene Li: This is not necessarily a loss for Ask.com. It’s recent gains in traffic (thanks to some nice interface innovation and neato technology in search refinement) shows that Steve is leaving on a high note. I don’t think Ask.com is going to be at a loss without him, primarily because he’s done such a good job there in building a team.
Related:
-- Microsoft’s Remake, MSN’s Resurgence
-- Microsoft Reorg Means More Changes For MSN; Mehdi New “Advertising Strategist”
-- MSN Starts Reformation; John Nicol New MSN GM; Bennett, Michaels Promoted
-- David Cole, Top MSN Exec Is Leaving