In an interview with
The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and new Online Services President Qi Lu discussed their plan for making Microsoft a more competitive force in online
advertising. Lu admits it will take considerable resources to mount an effective charge against Google, the Internet advertising leader, but he says "the level of commitment (Microsoft is) investing"
is one of the main reasons he decided to take the job in the first place. "They're investing resources, they're investing in our ability to distribute a product, investing in things that we can do to
ensure we have at the highest quality of user experience, and that's very, very important," the new hire said.
The
Journal asked Ballmer whether Lu's hiring (he was former EVP of
engineering for the Search and Advertising Technology Group at Yahoo) makes it easier to integrate whatever assets the software giant might acquire from Yahoo. "I think a search deal makes great sense
for Microsoft, and Yahoo, and I think I've been very open about that," Ballmer replied. "Obviously the logistics of any such integration...can only be simpler by having somebody who will know both
sides. But that was not a factor in hiring Qi," Ballmer added that there are currently no talks between Microsoft and Yahoo over a search deal and that the software giant is "fully prepared to compete
without any partnership with Yahoo."
Following those comments, Lu, who was at Yahoo during Microsoft's failed takeover attempt earlier this year, noted that if some kind of search partnership
should come to pass, most of the top employees on both sides of the deal would remain in place to ensure a smooth transition.
Read the whole story at The Wall Street Journal »