• January 28, 2009

Social news site Digg has hired former Yahoo sales executive Thomas Shin to lead its sales efforts as the company seeks to boost ad revenue in 2009. At Digg, Shin will be tasked with developing Digg's ad sales strategy, building the sales organization and managing strategic relationships.

The Silicon Valley startup last week pared its workforce by 10% and outlined other steps it would take to become profitable this year including hiring a direct sales force and rolling out new features to expand what it says is a user base of 35 million. Like other social media properties, Digg is under pressure to prove that it can monetize the youth-leaning audience it has amassed in the last few years.

Shin brings more than seven years of sales and marketing experience at Yahoo, including executive director of northwest sales, overseeing both display and search sales. He has also served as director of product marketing for Yahoo Mail, My Yahoo and Messenger. Prior to Yahoo, he was at Ask.com, WellsFargo and Dae Advertising.--Mark Walsh