[Image credit: Microsoft PressPass]

Remember how Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) was almost swallowed by software giant Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)?  As a result, Yahoo!’s stock has shot down, but the search engine company did get revenge in two ways.  First was an advertising deal with Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) and second was by hiring Joanne Bradford. 

“We are thrilled to have an executive of Joanne’s caliber to lead Yahoo through to the next phase of its growth,” stated Yahoo! President Sue Decker. “Yahoo and Joanne have a shared mind-set about the strategic role that Yahoo and online marketing can play to both build leading brands and drive customer acquisition for the world’s leading marketers.”

Joanne Bradford was a former executive at Microsoft that spent the last few months working at Spot Runner.  Spot Runner is a startup that sets up advertising for local television channels.  Bradford’s new role is the SVP of revenue and market development at Yahoo!  Bradford will oversee Yahoo!’s sales, marketing for advertisers, small business unit, and HotJobs.  Hilary Schneider, EVP of Yahoo! will oversee Bradford’s performance. 

Bradford is one of Yahoo!’s newest executives since Carl Icahn joined the Board of Directors

Joanne Bradford, Chief Media Officer of MSN is leaving Microsoft to join Spot Runner.  The MSN network receives 465 million unique users per month.  Before Chief Media Officer, Bradford was corporate VP of Global Sales and Marketing.  She was also the Chief Media Revenue Officer and in 2001, Bradford was VP and Director of BusinessWeek’s advertising sales divison. 

In the meantime, Greg Nelson, a 12 year team member of Microsoft will lead the MSN team.  Nelson was a GM of MSN.com International beforehand.  As of a month ago, Bradford reported to Steve Berkowitz.  Berkowitz will be leaving later this year as well.

Spot Runner was founded by Nick Group and David Waxman.  These two created Firefly Network Inc, a company that Microsoft acquired in 1998.  Firefly had the technology that was used as the foundation for Microsoft Passport. 

Spot Runner is a company to buy 30 second TV ads online.  Investors include Battery Ventures, Index Ventures, WPP, Interpublic Group, and CBS.

[Image credit: Microsoft PressPass]