AOL sales head exits in management reorganization

In an internal email Monday, CEO Tim Armstrong outlined a number of leadership changes, including the exit of AOL's president of global advertising and strategy, Jeff Levick. Armstrong, a former Google Inc. advertising executive, had brought Levick over from the search company shortly after taking the helm at AOL in 2009. The two worked together for more than seven years at Google.

Armstrong said Levick will leave New York-based AOL after a six-week transition period.

Levick had been brought on to help strengthen AOL's online ad business, which the company relies on increasingly as a major source of revenue because its legacy business of providing dial-up Internet access is waning.

Levick will be replaced by Ned Brody, formerly executive vice president of paid services, who is taking on the newly created position of chief revenue officer and president of AOL's advertising unit.

Armstrong also said that Lauren Hurvitz, head of corporate communications, will leave as the company combines its marketing and corporate communications functions into one unit. With the change, Maureen Sullivan becomes the company's head of corporate communications and marketing. Sullivan had been AOL's senior vice president of brand marketing.

Like Armstrong and Levick, Sullivan's past includes Google. She served as Armstrong's chief of staff there.

Armstrong added that Kathy Andreasen, head of human resources, will be leaving and Sandy Mott will become interim human resources head as the company searches for someone to fill the position.

In his note, Armstrong said the moves "will make the company simpler, faster and stronger."

Since its separation from Time Warner Inc. in late 2009, AOL has made many management changes and shed thousands of jobs.

The changes announced Monday come about five months after based AOL's media chief David Eun departed following the company's decision to buy news hub Huffington Post and name the site's co-founder, Arianna Huffington, as its new head of content.

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