London-based Woodside to Replace Armstrong at Google
Woodside, formerly Google's VP of U.K., Benelux, and Ireland, will fill Tim Armstrong's vacant seat at the company.
Dennis Woodside, formerly Google’s VP of U.K., Benelux, and Ireland, will fill Tim Armstrong’s vacant seat at the company. After years driving Google’s ad business as president, the Americas Operations and SVP, Armstrong left the firm last week to become CEO of AOL.
The 40-year-old Woodside will become VP Americas Operations. Described in a Google statement as “a keen triathlete,” Woodside has guided Google’s U.K., Benelux, and Ireland operations. He also launched the firm’s business operations group, and set up offices in countries including Egypt, Israel, Russia, and Turkey, according to his bio on Google’s corporate site. Woodside is also credited with bolstering Google’s operations in Central Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
Before joining Google in 2003, Woodside served as an associate partner at McKinsey and Company. There he handled operational and strategy projects for tech and media industry clients. He also has a background in managing mergers involving energy, aerospace, finance, and media firms.
“In September 2006, he became our Vice President for the UK, Ireland and Benelux where he’s helped to create a first class team as well as establish very positive relationships with our big partners on both the advertiser and agency side,” said Google SVP, Global Sales and Business Development Omid Kordestani, referring to Woodside in a company statement.
Google promoted Matt Brittin, head of U.K. direct sales, to take over all U.K. operations. Though he will run the U.K. business, he will not have responsibility for Benelux nor Ireland, which will have their own country managers. According to a Google spokesperson, Woodside will work in the company’s New York and Mountainview offices as he acclimates himself to the new job.
Currently based in London, Woodside will relocate to the U.S., according to a company spokesperson.
Woodside takes over for Armstrong, who left Google last week, and has, reportedly, already begun interacting with AOL staff. Google and AOL are quickly becoming direct competitors as the two battle for online ad network dollars.
UPDATE: The story originally noted that it was unclear where in the U.S. Woodside will be based. ClickZ later learned from Google that he will work in the company’s New York and Mountainview offices. Also, it originally stated Armstrong has begun his role at AOL, though he has only begun interacting with staff there as he transitions from Google to AOL.
