Beware poachers!
Microsoft is apparently considering taking legal action to block or at least control the terms of one of its high profile employees taking up a new role at Facebook.
It was recently reported that Carolyn Everson, Microsoft's global ad sales head has been poached by Facebook, where she will become VP of global sales.
Unsurprisingly Microsoft is miffed about the move and its lawyers have been in talks with Facebook's people in recent days, according to The WSJ.
It is believed Microsoft will likely insist upon stopping Everson from using any of its strategic information in her new role as well as getting in touch with specific ad clients while at Facebook.
However, the software giant has apparently not ruled out stopping Everson from taking up her new role and has pursued similar legal action before when it got a temporary restraining order to block one of its execs from working at salesforce.com, because of non-complete and confidentiality contracts.
Whatever situation is thrashed out by the 2 rivals' lawyers, it remains to be seen how the 2 firms will continue to work together.
It is believed that Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer is particularly irked by the poaching, as Microsoft regards Facebook as a partner and has invested in the social network.
Apparently tensions are running high and the paper reported that one source said: "This is just tone deaf on Facebook's part not to think this would not be a problem."
It is thought that Ballmer is particularly angry as he supposedly learnt about the appointment through a leak and the press, rather than from Facebook execs themselves.
According to The WSJ, Facebook's COO Sheryl Sandberg rushed out a statement just before the story broke, which read: "Microsoft was one of our earliest partners and is still one of our most valued. We look forward to continuing to expand our relationship with them."
Apparently Everson's decision to jump ship was a bit for a shock for the software giant as she had not long started her job after a long search and had helped organize a high profile marketing leadership summit for the company, set to take place this month.
Assuming she takes up her role at Facebook as planned, Everson will take over from ad exec Mike Murphy and report to the VP of advertising and global operations (and ex-Googler) David Fischer.
