Facebook sales exec Grady Burnett splits for Flurry
The social network loses a senior salesman to a mobile-focused ads and analytics company.
Grady Burnett, Facebook's vice president of global sales and operations, is saying so long to the social network after nearly four and a half years. The advertising executive is heading to mobile analytics and advertising firm Flurry where he'll serve as chief operating officer.
"Grady was a valuable member of Facebook's team, and we wish him luck in the future," a Facebook spokesperson told CNET.
During his tenure at Facebook, Burnett helped develop and implement the social network's advertising strategy alongside COO Sheryl Sandberg, and worked to grow the company's international sales team. Before Facebook, Burnett spent nearly four years at Google as director of online sales and operations.
"Flurry has been at the epicenter of the mobile revolution since its inception and has built the only data-powered, real-time ad buying and selling platform on mobile," Burnett said in a statement.
With that in mind, Burnett's retreat from Facebook sounds like it's centered on being at the forefront of mobile advertising, an area where the social network was initially slow to adapt, though it has shown strength in recent months.
His departure is the latest in a string of executive exits, which includes ad men Gokul Rajaram and Tom Arrix. Earlier this month, Justin Shaffer, who was said to be co-leading Facebook's rumored video ads project, also split from the social network.