Microsoft picks up Yahoo operations exec
Microsoft has hired Dayne Sampson, a Yahoo vice president of operations since 2006, the software giant said Monday.
"We're very excited to have Dayne Sampson join the team, reporting to Debra Chrapaty, corporate vice president of Global Foundation Services (GFS). Operations and foundation services are key to delivering the Microsoft software plus services vision, and Dayne's extensive operations and industry experience will be a strong asset for GFS and the company," the company said in a statement.
GFS, which runs Microsoft's data centers, is an important part of Microsoft's effort to expand from software to online services to better compete against Yahoo, Google, Facebook, and other Net powers. Microsoft has hired a number of Yahoo notables, including Qi Lu, Sean Suchter, Larry Heck, and Scott Moore.
Sampson has long history at Net companies. Before working at Yahoo, Sampson was senior vice president of IT and operations at InterActive Corp. (IAC), and before that, vice president of IT and operations at Ask.com.
(Via All Things D.)
Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank. 
