Ex-Windows Phone Exec Joins NQ Mobile

Gavin Kim, who served as general manager for Windows Phone product marketing at Microsoft, has joined mobile security firm NQ Mobile as chief product officer. In his prior post, Kim led product marketing and platform planning teams, as well as Windows Phone application and developer ecosystem efforts.

Before joining Microsoft in November, he was VP, consumer and enterprises services at Samsung Telecommunications Americas. (NQ Mobile co-CEO Omar Khan is former VP of strategy for the Samsung.) In his new job, Kim will oversee product, solutions and strategic partnerships for NQ Mobile, which makes mobile security, privacy and productivity applications. It boasts 147 million users worldwide.

While the move brings a pedigreed mobile executive to NQ Mobile, his departure after only five months at Microsoft is the latest in a series of Windows Phone managers to exit the company, according to FierceMobileContent.

Most recently, director of Windows Phone Developer Experience Brandon Watson left to lead Amazon's Kindle cross-platform team. Windows Phone Division President Andrew Lees was reassigned in December.

The Windows Phone platform has failed to gain share against Android and iOS since being rolled out in late 2010. In the U.S., its success now hinges on the Lumia 900, a low-cost, Windows Phone-powered Nokia smartphone that Microsoft and AT&T are making a big push behind.

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