Google has added another search engineering superstar to its talent roster snagging Udi Manber, the suddenly former CEO of Amazon’s search engine A9.com.
Manber’s last day at A9 will be Friday. David Tennenhouse who, until very recently, was a VP and director of research at Intel will immediately replace him.
Manber’s move came on the same day news leaked from Amazon about the test run of its own contextual advertising network designed to compete with AdWords and the Yahoo Publishing Network. He has long been considered one of the brightest search engineers and steered A9’s organic and contextual search efforts.
A9 wasted no time in announcing the hiring of David Tannenhouse, naming him CEO yesterday. According to their news release:
“Tennenhouse is a renowned technologist and seasoned executive. He joins A9.com from Intel Corporation where he served as Vice President of the Corporate Technology Group and Director of Research. In addition to building Intel Research, he developed Intel’s proactive computing vision, drove several Intel Capital Investments and laid the technical ground work for its new Digital Health Group.
Prior to joining Intel, Tennenhouse was Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Information Technology Office where he guided programs in several areas, including search, datamining, information management, machine learning and distributed computing. Additionally, Tennenhouse held positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and the Sloan School of Management.”
Amazon and Google have long been seen to have a good working relationship however Google’s continued success in the search sector has prompted companies like Amazon to seek entry into the search-based advertising field. The timing of Google grabbing of Manber puts their perceived to be cozy relationship into question though one of Google’s original investors, John Doerr continues to sit on the boards of both companies. His resignation (if it comes) from one or the other will mark a new battlefront in the ongoing search engine wars.
Jim Hedger is the SEO Manager of StepForth Search Engine Placement Inc. Based in Victoria, BC, Canada, StepForth is the result of the consolidation of BraveArt Website Management, Promotion Experts, and Phoenix Creative Works, and has provided professional search engine placement and management services since 1997. http://www.stepforth.com/ Tel – 250-385-1190 Toll Free – 877-385-5526 Fax – 250-385-1198
