Android partnerships chief leaves Google

Thu Jul 29 2010, 15:00 PM

Google has lost its third top Android exec in as many months with the departure of Tom Moss, head of Android business development and operations. Moss was in charge of relations with mobile manufacturers and operators, and his loss could hinder Google's attempts to expand Android's share of the mobile market.

Other execs to abandon Google's mobile team recently include Erick Tseng, who left to become head of mobile products at Facebook, and Android developer marketing lead Sun Hu Kim, who joined Twitter earlier this week. VentureBeat reports that Moss was a recipient of Google's Founder Award, which grants valuable Google stock to employees in a bid to discourage them from defecting to other companies. The blog suggests Moss is likely to start his own project rather than join another firm.