Google shuffles execs to improve focus on VR, enterprise space

[Jeff Causey]

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Google has confirmed, although they have issued no comment, that business unit assignments have shifted around some within the search giant impacting two key executives. The moves signal an apparent desire by Google to ramp up its focus on virtual reality solutions and at the same time move some consumer oriented solutions to be better positioned for the enterprise space.

The first change involves Clay Bavor who has been serving as the VP for product management. That position brought with it responsibility for apps like Gmail, Drive and Docs along with Google’s Cardboard offering. Several sources indicate Bavor seems to have a special fondness for Cardboard and virtual reality in general. Google CEO Sundar Pichai decided that rather than push Bavor to also pay attention to areas where he is not so focused, he would free Bavor up by putting him in charge of a new division leading Google’s virtual reality efforts.

Cardboard is Google’s low cost entry into the virtual reality space. Google has had some success with the platform and even struck up a deal with the New York Times. They also managed to create a partnership with GoPro to produce virtual reality videos on the YouTube platform. As a subset of virtual reality, Google’s Niantic Labs has extensive experience with augmented reality via the Ingress game. Sources have also noted that Google made a significant investment in augmented reality firm Magic Leap.

By creating a dedicated division for virtual reality with Bavor at the head, many see Google as taking a step to better compete with Facebook and their Oculus division. Other companies like Microsoft and Samsung are also active in the space and some think Google may be worried they might get left behind.

The move to put Bavor over virtual reality is only half of the shift occurring. The divisions that Bavor is giving up – Gmail, Drive and Docs – will be moving over to be headed up by Diane Greene. Greene is a former exec from VMWare who sits on Google’s board and just this past fall took on additional, active management responsibilities for several of Google’s enterprise solutions. Those include Google for Work, Google Apps and Google’s Cloud Platform.

The move to add what many see as primarily consumer-oriented applications over to an executive heading up Google’s enterprise-oriented solutions may signal a significant shift for those apps and platforms. As tools, there is a good chance Google hopes to improve what they can offer enterprise customers and better compete in that space.

source: Re/code


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