• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, Yesterday

Microsoft Advertising has appointed Navah Hopkins to the division’s ads liaison during a time when the company looks to capture ad revenue from Google.

Hopkins' appointment sends a message to advertisers looking to diversify ad spend, and highlights the growing importance of Microsoft’s role in advertising.

“One of the reasons I am so excited about this role is that I report into the Product team,” she wrote in a LinkedIn post, adding: “That means all the feedback will go directly to the amazing product leads, and questions can get clarity quickly.”

Hopkins told MediaPost that advertisers can count on LinkedIn post updates from her as well as active discussions in comments, as she works to implement the proper lines of communication through a variety of media such as newsletters, videos and blogs.

She wrote that Microsoft's decision to “double down on serving the community and building their feedback into the roadmap” shows a positive direction for advertising.

“That they picked me (a search first marketer with paid social, SEO, and AI empathy), indicates a clear understanding that tools are evolving and strategies need to have a translation across different disciplines,” Hopkins wrote in the email.

Microsoft’s shift in strategy was made clear with news that broke on the same day that Hopkins announced her hire. The company laid off another 300 employees from unknown departments in Washington state, adding to its previous layoffs in mid-May of about 6,000 globally.

As of June 2024, the company reportedly had about 228,000 full-time employees, with 55% in the U.S.

A spokesperson told Bloomberg the cuts were necessary to “best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace.”

She explains in a LinkedIn post that the move was initiated by Tim Frank, corporate vice president at Microsoft AI Monetization and former Google employee,

Frank reached out to Hopkins about the role on a random Sunday, Hopkins wrote in a LinkedIn post, where she announced the hire on Monday. She described herself as a “Microsoft fan girl” who became an “official Microsoft Ads cheerleader!”

Hopkins also believes Microsoft brings unique human perspective to AI. While others treat B2B as an afterthought, Microsoft remains one of the best paths forward for B2B marketers, while supporting ecommerce and B2C through feed-first ad solutions.

Hopkins had her own consulting firm for nearly 4.5 years, and wrote for a variety of publications.

Industry watchers could see her appointment as a response to the growing demand for support at Microsoft Advertising as it tries to grow its ad business.

As Hopkins starts her new role, the industry will watch closely to see how her influence changes Microsoft Advertising.