AOL Shifts Platform A Execs in U.K.

On the heels of executive changes in the U.S., AOL plans to restructure its U.K. operations and reshuffle its execs there.

In an e-mail sent to AOL employees, Brendan Condon, the head of Platform A International announced that Michael Steckler will be repositioned as head of Platform A’s U.K. operations. Steckler’s current position as managing director of AOL U.K. will not be re-filled.

In addition, the memo states Kevin Cornils, managing director of Advertising.com U.K has decided to leave the company just a few months after joining as part of AOL’s acquisition of affiliate network Buy.at. Cornils was CEO of Buy.at.

In March, Lynda Clarizio, then-president at Advertising.com in the U.S., got the nod to head up AOL’s Platform A unit, formerly led by Curt Viebranz, who came to AOL through its acquisition of behavioral ad network Tacoda.

Platform A, launched in September 2007 in the U.S., includes AOL’s ad network giant Advertising.com, behavioral targeting firm Tacoda, mobile ad network Third Screen Media, contextual ad network Quigo, and Germany-based ad management firm AdTech, in addition to Buy.at.

Cornils is not the first executive from a recently-acquired firm to leave AOL. Senior Tacoda execs including Viebranz have also left the company under somewhat vague circumstances. It remains unclear whether Cornils jumped ship, or if he was pushed.

Following last year’s consolidation of AOL’s ad businesses under Platform A, AOL officially gathered its European ad operations in the same way in June. The goal is to create growth in its publishing and social networking businesses, and eventually integrate the ad unit’s operations across the globe.

An AOL spokesperson said the company will now adopt a three-pronged structure, incorporating the Platform A ad business, its publishing platform, and its “people” network.

Although some suggest the restructuring represents a focus on the ad side of AOL’s business, the spokesperson said this isn’t necessarily the case. Alluding to AOL’s recent purchase of social networking site Bebo, he suggested, “Although Platform-A is a major part of the AOL business, advertising is worthless if you can’t deliver eyeballs.” A significant number Bebo’s traffic and ad inventory comes from the U.K., where the site is especially popular.