(AP) -- Google is promoting a top advertising executive in Europe to oversee the Internet search leader's sales in North America and South America.
Dennis Woodside takes over from Tim Armstrong, who is leaving Google after 8 1/2 years to become CEO at AOL. Woodside, 40, had been steering Google's ad team in the United Kingdom for the past 2 1/2 years.
Google announced Woodside's promotion Tuesday, moving quickly to fill the void created after Armstrong disclosed his plans to leave late last week.
Armstrong's departure is seen as a blow because the United States generates more ad revenue for Google than any other country. Woodside was a logical successor because the United Kingdom is the Mountain View-based company's second-biggest market.
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