Ex-Google exec becomes Twitter COO

Former Google executive Dick Costolo will join microblogging website Twitter next week as chief operating officer (COO).

Thursday, 3 September 2009

Jenna Sampson, spokeswoman for Google, confirmed Costolo's appointment on Wednesday evening.

It is the latest move by the internet phenomenon - which is used by celebrities across the world to keep people up to date with their daily routines - to build its management team and continue its rapid growth.

Costolo, who previously worked as the chief executive officer of Feedburner, which Google acquired two years ago, follows the arrival of Alexander Macgillivray as general counsel in July. Macgillvray was also hired from Google.

Sampson is quoted in a New York Times Blog as saying: "[Costolo's] a long-time friend of Ev [Williams] and Biz [Stone, the co-founders of Twitter], so clearly they trust and respect the work that he's done and look forward to working with him here at Twitter."

Earlier this month it was revealed that Twitter has become more popular than social networking website MySpace in the UK.

Internet research firm Hitwise indicated that it is now the 27th most popular portal in Britain.

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