Microsoft and PBL's online joint operation ninemsn has lost its chief operating officer Nick Spooner after the company reportedly decided to shed the role completely.
The former Optus executive was hired by Australia's largest web portal in 2006 during a growth phase for the company.
However, Spooner had now resigned, sources said, with Digital Media reporting ninemsn had canned the COO role in favour of a flatter management structure.
As COO, Spooner was the effective chief information officer (CIO) of ninemsn after it chose not to replace its former CIO, Richard Ang, who had left ninemsn shortly before Spooner's arrival.
Spooner had overseen the online media company's 60 core IT systems, and its relationships with Microsoft, IBM, HP and Accenture.
Prior to his time at ninemsn Spooner had served a six-year stint with Optus within the telco's consumer and multimedia, IT and network divisions. He had also worked for IT consultancy Accenture where he specialised in interactive TV, digital TV broadcasting, and interactive services.
Spooner's departure follows that of the company's former chief executive, Tony Faure, who left in August last year. His replacement, Joe Pollard, a former director of sales and marketing at ninemsn's joint venture owner, PBL Media, took the lead role in September last year, and has overseen the company's restructure, which earlier this year saw it shed between 15 to 25 jobs.
Ninemsn was unable to respond to ZDNet.com.au's questions at the time of writing.
