Top-shelf Googler heads to Facebook

Another prominent Google employee has jumped ship to Facebook.

Elliot Schrage, vice president of global communications and public affairs at Google, has been hired in a similar role at the fast-growing social network, reports Kara Swisher of All Things Digital.

Schrage's role at both companies, founded in a legal rather than marketing background, involves dealing with D.C. lobbyists and policymakers in addition to the press. His move to Facebook follows Sheryl Sandberg, who became chief operating officer at Facebook after a stint as vice president of global sales at Google. Schrage will report to Sandberg, Swisher writes, but he inquired about the role at Facebook directly through founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg rather than Sandberg.

Elliot Schrage

(Credit: Google)

Swisher posted an internal e-mail from Zuckerberg to employees. The young CEO explained that Schrage "will be responsible for developing the key messages we want people to understand about our products, our business and the growing global importance of social networking and what we do...Elliot will direct our efforts to work with users, media, governments and other entities around the world to ensure that Facebook's policies are transparent, responsive, effective and are recognized as being those things."

Facebook representatives were not immediately available to comment or provide a public statement.

The news was originally hinted at by gossip blog Valleywag, which said earlier this week that Schrage was interviewing for the Facebook post and speculated that it had to do with his opposition to some tawdry goings-on at Google's top ranks. But as headhunting firm Binc recently found, Google employees tend to leave the company for a variety of concrete reasons, not the least of which is the fact that corporate culture has made Mountain View less of the revolution and more of The Man.

Aside from Sandberg, Facebook already employs a number of other ex-Googlers such as Ethan Beard, former director of social media; Benjamin Ling, former head of Google Checkout; and YouTube's Gideon Yu, who made the jump to Facebook shortly after Google acquired the video-sharing site.

Several other high-ranking Googlers have left for non-Facebook (and even non-Valley) destinations, like Chief Information Officer Doug Merrill, who left the company for a job at music label EMI.

[Ron102550]

HIGHEST LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE
ATTENTION / ATTENTION
This is in regards to a friend of mine who has been suspended or banned from FB.
This is a SERIOUS situation Please Take Note:
His log on name is "Pastor Al", I know him well. This suspension may have far more serious consequences on Al then you could imagine. HERE me Well Friends!!!!!
Al is a retired Marine. He put his life in danger so people like you have the freedom to do what you do. He protected your freedom, the freedom of your spouse, children and grand children. He protected our way of life as did many other service people who gave the full measure of themselves.
As you know when the USA needs a nasty job done they turn always to the Marines. They are involved in the most dangerous missions in combat.
Al has confided in me something vary private. I wish this not get back to him. The fact is both Al and I share something which could kill us. We have both been at the end of our ropes finding ourselves putting a round into a hand gun, pulling the hammer back, inserting the mussell into our mouths and asking ourselves: "Why should I go on"? "All the pain will leave if I put a little more pressure on the trigger",. We try to find a memory of something that will make this day worth living. This is not a metaphor. YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THIS IS REAL ! No joking.
Al told me a year ago he thought he would live another 2 years. Knowing from my own experiance I knew what he was talking about, I ask of him,, "why 2 years Al". He replied, " not much to live for, I have done everything I set out to do"
In my mind he has planned this suicide over a year ago. HE IS DEAD SERIOUS... I know, I have been where he is now.
His one joy in life is your FaceBook and all the people who have come to love him.

Please do not take what small bit of excitement he finds in life away from him. Please!
It's odd what is just a game to most is the reason for living to others.

YOU MUST ; IN THE NAME OF GOD; TAKE THIS MESSAGE SERIOUSLY.
IT IS FACT / AND YOU HOLD THE STRINGS IN YOUR HANDS TO A MANS LIFE , WHO RISKED HIS LIFE FOR YOU AND YOURS.

GOD Guide your decision/
Ron Medcalf