Microsoft's Greg Ellis to head Realestate

Singapore - Microsoft's marketing director of online services in Asia, Greg Ellis, has been hired by REA Group to head Realestate.com as its CEO.

Ellis has 20 years of work experience, 14 of which have been in senior line management positions. He has worked in Australia, Asia and Europe. Before his current role at Microsoft, he was MD of Online and Search at World Directories in the Netherlands. Prior to that, he was at Sensis for five years and 11 years at Telstra; he was GM of Sensis Interactive and Telstar's National GM, marketing strategy & planning.

He will take up the post at Realestate.com on 8 September.

Realestate.com recently terminated the contract and fired its former CEO and major shareholder Simon Baker, citing its need for a leader with more international experience for its next growth phase as the reason for his departure.

Current acting CEO Georg Chmiel, in the interim, will return to his role of CFO.