Google Loosens Reins on Vet Kordestani

Google veteran Omid Kordestani has moved on to a newly created position at the search firm, and will be replaced by Nikesh Arora, Google’s former president of international operations. The switch represents not only a changing of the guard, but is indicative of Google’s mission to hold on to its most valued employees.

Kordestani, a 10-year Google vet whom Google refers to as its “business founder,” will now serve as senior advisor, Office of the CEO and Founders. Considered an entrepreneurial position, Kordestani’s new role and title was essentially position created for him. Because he will no longer be running a business unit, it should allow him more freedom.

Kordestani will continue working full-time for Google, though the company suggested the new role represents an evolution of his previous position, and will allow him to focus on other projects. “He’ll also now finally have the time to do some other things outside the office that are important to him — e.g. philanthropy, advising other young companies/entrepreneurs, etc,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement sent to ClickZ News.

Arora, with Google for over four years, replaces Kordestani as president, global sales operations and business development. Essentially, he’ll continue the role Kordestani filled, building and managing the firm’s global sales and partnerships. In the position, Arora is charged with handling the company’s marketing, partnerships, and revenue and customer operations. He served as CMO with T-Mobile before joining Google. Prior to that, he founded Deutsche Telekom’s mobile multimedia unit T-Motion.

Since he’s been with Google, Arora has helped build and grow the firm’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa operations. “[Arora] has a proven track record at Google, having spent the last four and a half years building our European operations into a substantial business,” said Google CEO Eric Schmidt in a statement.

Kordestani’s new job description seems somewhat amorphous. His role will entail advising Schmidt, along with the firm’s founders, and is expected to evolve over time. “He’ll spend his time focused on developing new businesses for Google, revenue opportunities, reviewing possible acquisitions and partnerships that may take Google’s business into new areas, etc,” noted the spokesperson,” calling Kordestani’s new position “a much more strategic role.”

At this point, it is unclear where Kordestani or Arora will be based. Google has offices throughout Europe and in Egypt, Israel, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates.

Both Arora and Kordestani are already members of Google’s Operating Committee, along with the firm’s founders, Schmidt, and several Google vice presidents and senior vice presidents. The Operating Committee members also serve as advisors on the company’s various units to the firm’s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin,

In the coming month, Arora and Kordestani will work closely together as Arora transitions into his predecessor’s role.