Jon Miller is changing up MySpace leadership. Chris DeWolfe is leaving. Tom Anderson status unclear. New CEO

Shakeup at MySpace: Staff Changing at the Top

Seth Gilbert, 04-22-2009

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When former AOL chief Jon Miller took the tiller to steer News Corps digital efforts a few weeks ago as Chairman and CEO of the Digital Media Group, and News Corp’s Chief Digital Officer, there was no masking the fact that change was gonna come. Miller wasn’t taking a job reporting directly to Rupert Murdoch in order to be a chaperon. He was going to be expected to do much more.

Today, expectation started to become reality. After only a few weeks on the job, Miller is changing up the staffing chart at MySpace. Chris DeWolfe, the co-founder and CEO of the social network is out.

By mutual agreement, the company said, his contract won’t be renewed. DeWolfe will step down soon, but remain affiliated as a strategic advisor, and a board member for MySpace China.

Tom Anderson, MySpace’s other co-founder, and its current president, will also be party to changes. Miller announced that he and Anderson are in discussions about Anderson assuming a new role. What tha role is wasn’t disclosed.

Who will ultimately replace DeWolfe as MySpace CEO is also unclear at this point. Headhunters are reportedly conducting a search, and many believe there’s a short list of target candidates.

Speculation is rife that at the top of that list is Owen Van Natta, the former Facebook COO who left Facebook in early 2008 after being instrumental in that company’s growth. (Van Natta joined Facebook in 2005 after serving as Amazon’s VP of worldwide business and corporate development. )

If the rumors are accurate, it could bring a bit of poetic justice. Van Natta left Facebook amidst rumors of a souring relationship with the company’s founder, Mark Zuckerburg. At MySpace, he’d have the chance to compete head to head against his former boss, and maybe, get in the last word.

Metue.com

Shakeup at MySpace: Staff Changing at the Top

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