The Internet radio company hires former advertising executive and Madrona Venture Group partner Brian McAndrews to take over for longtime CEO John Kennedy. September 11, 2013 1:49 PM PDT Pandora's new CEO Brian McAndrews. (Credit: Pandora) Brian McAndrews, a partner at Madrona Venture Group, is Pandora's new CEO, the company announced Wednesday. The change is effective immediately. McAndrews, who previously was a top marketing and advertising executive with Microsoft and aQuantive will succeed Joe Kennedy. Kennedy announced in March that he was quitting after nearly a decade at the helm of Pandora. The choice reflects of the importance of advertising to Pandora. "We had very specific criteria for our new CEO, and we were very strategic about finding the right person -- Brian is that person," Tim Westergren, Pandora's founder and chief strategy officer said in a press release. "No one better understands the intersection of technology and advertising, which he clearly demonstrated during aQuantive's meteoric rise." Donna Tam Donna Tam is a staff writer for CNET News and a native of San Francisco. She enjoys feasting, merrymaking, checking her Gmail, and reading on her Kindle. Before landing at CNET, she wrote for daily newspapers, including the Oakland Tribune, The Spokesman-Review, and the Eureka Times-Standard.
The Internet radio company hires former advertising executive and Madrona Venture Group partner Brian McAndrews to take over for longtime CEO John Kennedy.
Pandora's new CEO Brian McAndrews.
(Credit: Pandora)
Brian McAndrews, a partner at Madrona Venture Group, is Pandora's new CEO, the company announced Wednesday.
The change is effective immediately. McAndrews, who previously was a top marketing and advertising executive with Microsoft and aQuantive will succeed Joe Kennedy. Kennedy announced in March that he was quitting after nearly a decade at the helm of Pandora.
The choice reflects of the importance of advertising to Pandora.
"We had very specific criteria for our new CEO, and we were very strategic about finding the right person -- Brian is that person," Tim Westergren, Pandora's founder and chief strategy officer said in a press release. "No one better understands the intersection of technology and advertising, which he clearly demonstrated during aQuantive's meteoric rise."
Donna Tam is a staff writer for CNET News and a native of San Francisco. She enjoys feasting, merrymaking, checking her Gmail, and reading on her Kindle. Before landing at CNET, she wrote for daily newspapers, including the Oakland Tribune, The Spokesman-Review, and the Eureka Times-Standard.
