Yahoo hires away Microsoft Kin exec
updated 10:35 am EDT, Fri September 10, 2010
Ex-Microsoft exec John Matheny hired by Yahoo
Yahoo has very recently hired former Microsoft executive John Matheny, according to a Thursday AllThingsSD report. Matheny was involved heavily in the failed Kin project at Microsoft but was also the General Manager for the Windows Phone App Studio, Premium Mobile Experiences and MSN Platforms & Services groups, his LinkedIn profile revealed. At Yahoo, his new job is as senior VP of Yahoo's communications products and communities unit.
The swap puts him in the former post of Jason Titus, who left Yahoo recently. The decision to hire Matheny likely came from Chief Products Head Blake Irving, another recent Microsoft ex-patriate. Irving has been hiring other former colleagues to join him at Yahoo, including Bill Shaughnessy, who was appointed as Yahoo's SVP of Product Management.
Matheny's departure follows a string of exits that have affected Microsoft's devices, highlighted the most by the departures of J Allard and Robbie Bach. The Redmond company hopes for a rebirth with Windows Phone 7 but has been steadily losing share with Windows Mobile. Having to cancel the Kin after just over six weeks also represented a symbolic defeat and may have been sparked by corporate infighting from executives more concerned about consistency than making a quality, timely phone.
