Just four months after she joined video sharer Dailymotion as its first UK MD, Kate Burns is joining Bebo on August 4 in a new position as European VP and MD, Guardian.co.uk is told. That’s to fill some of the gaps created by Bebo president Joanna Shields’ promotion to president of AOL’s People Networks, the new division created by its March acquisition and which will see her spend more time in New York.
Burns’ remit – to launch the site in Italy, Spain, Germany, Holland and France, where local social nets already have significant youth traction, in the next few months. And to oversee ops in the UK, Ireland and Poland, where it already operates a little-known JV with the Gazeta newspaper.
The two know each other from their Google (NSDQ: GOOG) London days – Shields was EMEA MD and Burns was Google