Google Watch - Google vs. Microsoft - Top Search Exec Leaves Microsoft

Top Search Exec Leaves Microsoft

Written By
Steve Bryant
Steve Bryant
Mar 8, 2007
1 minute read
eWeek content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More

Corporate vice president for Microsoft’s Live Search initiative, Christopher Payne, plans to launch a Seattle-based technology firm unrelated to the search business, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Microsoft has lost search share since early 2005, when the company launched its own search technology.
In the last year the search volume on Microsoft Live Search has remained flat, while Google and Yahoo have risen by 33 percent and 22 percent, respectively, according to Nielsen NetRatings data.
A replacement for Payne hasn’t been announced. Earlier this week, Blake Irving, another Windows Live corporate vice president, told others at the company that he plans to retire later this year.

eWeek Logo

eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site's focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.