Talent Not Important At NineMSN
Posted on December 11th, 2006 by Simon ChenEd Michaels is the author of a book called “The War For Talent”. Famed Management guru, Tom Peters raves about it and its a must read for anyone in business.
Obviously, it’s not a book that’s widely read or embraced at NineMSN here in Australia.
In the last 6 months the following have left the organisation:
- CEO
- CTO
- CFO
- Marketing Director.
- National Sales Manager
- Executive Producer (News & Sport)
- Executive Producer (Sport)
- Head of Search
- Producer (Sport)
- Senior Copy Editor (7+ years @ ninemsn)
- Multimedia Producer (5+ years)
- The entire sports team (20 years experience) left to competitors in < 2 months
- Producer of Hotmail, Messenger and Spaces
Nearly every person on that list has 5+ years experience @ ninemsn. Combined, it’s a total of 80+ years.
I’m all for cleaning house every once in a while, but this list is astonishing.
That’s 13 key executives departed from an organisation that is backed by Australia’s leading media outfit (PBL) and the world’s most successful technology company (Microsoft).
That is, until Google kicks their arse completely.
I then hear on the grapevine that Alex Parsons, Head of Search for Sensis has recently joined NineMSN - he starts next Feb. He’s ex eBay and one smart operator. Him leaving Sensis in less than a year only solidifies my opinion that Sensis should not be in the search space.
The online world is all about the companies with the best talent - wins! And unfortunately, talent like the list above doesn’t grow on trees. Especially in the digital space.
Google gets this. Microsoft doesn’t. Either does PBL.
And to cap it all off, last week’s Australian Financial Review mentions Microsoft’s Head of Australia, Steve Vamos is off to lead the charge for Microsoft’s Online Group out of the US and that Microsoft in Oz is looking for a new leader.
Better get a new ship is all I can say. This spells big trouble for Microsoft because it gets to a point where no matter how deep your pockets, if you can’ recruit and retain talent, then the game is certainly up.
Yahoo! with all their recent troubles and their “peanut butter” incident is Disneyland by comparison.
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December 11th, 2006 at 3:50 pm
[...] More here … [...]
December 30th, 2006 at 7:06 pm
has it occurred to you that these people are responsible for ninemsn’s staleness the past 5 years?
just because someone has a paddington badge, does not mean they are/were qualified to take their position.
some of the replacements actually seem to inject enthusiasm to the company.
December 31st, 2006 at 3:04 am
i agree with “some of the replacements actually seem to inject enthusiasm to the company.”
i don’t really agree with anon’s other comments
December 31st, 2006 at 5:56 am
I respect the fact that the above 2 posts from Anon and Anon2 (who incidentally are from the same person) are their opinion but anyone who posts using an anonymous alias lacks courage. I stand by my view point of the original post - if 2-3 people left a company, thats one thing. But when 15+ people leave, that’s cause for investigation.
December 31st, 2006 at 10:40 pm
Hi Simon,
the 2 comments were actually written and posted by 2 different people, they did however use the same computer to submit them which understandably may have confused you.
i would like to retract my original comment, since i grossly misunderstood and incorrectly recalled a conversation between myself and another about a separate, parallel subject.
my original comment did not represent the other person’s opinion, and it does not represent mine. it was all a big, honest misunderstanding on my behalf. apologies.
i am sure if you say these people are talented - they are talented. i have not met and do not know any of them.
the talented people you mention do not deserve any negative perception that my comment may cause, i hope you remove our replies/comments from your blog to avoid any possible negative perception. i feel guilty for my honest, human mistake and have learned a lesson.
my comment was null.
hoping you have a happy and prosperous 2007.
regards,
anon
January 25th, 2007 at 8:39 am
Nice Post.
That was well said. Always appreciate your indepth views. Keep up the great work!
John
January 29th, 2007 at 12:30 am
[...] Despite what a few people may think, I’m not anti-Microsoft. Although this post on NineMSN’s woes in Australia drew more than a few comments. [...]
June 19th, 2007 at 12:47 am
80 years in 6 months? Woah.
Possibly related: Wotif ended their ninemsn partnership not long back.