I have the pleasure of confirming the rumors: Heather Harde, currently the SVP of Mergers and Acquisitions at Fox Interactive Media, will start her new job as the CEO of the TechCrunch Network (and my boss) by the end of the month. This isn’t the way I hoped to announce this news, but Om Malik broke the story after an internal Fox email got out.
It was tough to talk Heather into leaving Fox, where she’s been for the last ten years. In that time she’s had a combination of operating and corporate development roles. Most recently, she was part of the founding executive team of Fox Interactive Media. At FIM she ran the mergers and acquisitions team, which was responsible for eight acquisitions, totaling $1.3 billion, and two equity investment deals. Prior to Fox, Heather was at business school at Harvard.
There is a lot for her to do. She will run every aspect of our business other than editorial, which I’ll be focusing on for now. TechCrunch has grown faster than I could manage over the last couple of years. Heather’s job will be to leverage the opportunities that we have sometimes let slip by, and to manage our organic and acquisition growth going forward.
If you can’t tell, I’m pretty excited to have her on board. More announcements are coming soon.
Photo credit: Scott Beale/Laughing Squid
Comments
Congrats Michael on your growth and welcome Heather. The natives are not that bad as long as you keep feeding them startup stories to feast on…
congrats mike. i think this is great move.
Michael,
Congrats on a great hire!
Lo
WOW! Congrats to all, TechCrunch will be around for the long hall, hopefully my network and blogs can have the same success at the TechCrunch network.
Any advice for an East Coast company to survive?
Wayne
Congrats Heather and Mike! This world of blogging can be fun on the good days and can be a real pain in the you know what on other days. But that’s like anything else.
Nothing like a breaking story on the weekend!
Rex
Mike, congrats…. you are a smart guy and a move such as this shows that you have big plans for TechCrunch. I’m quite sure a round of financing will follow:)
Just don’t lose focus of what TechCrunch has become - a daily radar for hundreds of thousands of readers looking for great insights to the start up world.
Cheers,
Alejandro
A double catch
Acquisitions eh? Interesting …
Congrats Mike and Heather.
And, I’m psuedo famous now (if you click on the photo).
Congratulations. to both of you.
Cheers! To good days ahead.
Congratulations … at the rate TC and the Crunchnetwork has been growing I’m surprised you didn’t require her services *sooner*.
[or did you?
]
t @ dji
Congrats, hope everything will work out great.
goitexpert.com - xp-erienced it source
Thanks very much everyone.
This is a great step in further validating the “blogs as a business” model. TechCrunch is much more than “a blog” now, as its grown to a full-fledge news network. It’s fun to watch the expansion and success. It looks like you have hired as well as you report. Good stuff.
I love having cleaned up after me too
(jk)
Congratulations to both of you. I’m sure Miss(es?) Harde has found a great employer.
“[...] editorial, which I’ll be focusing on for now.”
So either you’ll get more sleep or we can expect more stories
Just don’t give up that part (please)!
(Official) congratulations to the two of you :-).
Hey congratulations guys - this is awesome news
Congratulations, TC will truly thrive
I congratulate both of you.
Congratulations Mike. Your growth is inspiring too.
Just could not let that interesting tidbit slip by. Please expand on the opportunities that did slip by and the new acquisitions being considered.
This time the shoe is on the other foot
Congrats Mike. Good luck for the future…
The first step to becoming a VC? or the first step for getting some VC?
I can hear the lawyers gossiping right now!
let’s be original and congratulate both of you !
Congrats. Nice to see you guys growing
The suggested collaboration even makes more sense now.
Ronnen
Congrats to both of you. Keep up the good work.
Kenny Lee
Mike - You wrote “It was tough to talk Heather out of leaving Fox.” Huh????
If that’s what you were trying to do, you didn’t accomplish it. But I suspect that you meant to write either “into” instead of “out of”, or less likely “wasn’t”instead of “was.”
Wow, big day for the blog media business! This is another proof that this media is as legitimate as the leading print publications. Congrats on the move and all the best.
Well done.
I know realise their is big money in Blog networks if you can afford to recruit big pay staff.
Well Done Mike. Just don’t lose focus of the reason why this blog started and has become popular . The minute you lose focus your large audience will desert you in a blink of an eye
———————-
http://www.gushia.com
Congrats Mike and Heather. I predict this to be a start of the process of acquiring the Techcrunch Network. Fox Media being the likely buying.
Next news will be: “Techcrunch acquired by Fox Interactive (owners of MySpace) !” Guys, watch this space…
Great news! Wish you guys good luck..
Btw.. I totally agree with commenter Jason (#31). Don’t f’kit up guys.
Wow. A one man army no more.
Early morning congrats from the east coast.
Mike - Good work
Update your about page
” Acquisitions “. I would like to know what that is all about Mike. ANyways Good move. Bests to all of you.
Congratulation… Not everyone will get this golden chance of hiring their boss
Very exciting. Want to send some of her talent my way to MacUpdate.com?
Enjoy your growth!
Congrats. It makes me ask though: who owns TechCrunch? Could you give us a list of the major investors or is it just you?
This validates that content, from whichever direction it’s coming, is indeed king (and queen).
Wildly cool. We’re already looking forward to talking about this in May.
Michael,
Congrats. Smart move separating business from editorial.
Great move Mike, and fantastic choice
Congrats Mike & welcome Heather! Mike, now you can fulfill your dream of competing with CNet! This rise & expansion does give inspiration & can potentially open opportunities for many bloggers.
~Bloggin’ Is A Lifestyle~
“Congrats. Smart move separating business from editorial.”
I concur with Adam. Congratulations!!!
Does this mean TechCrunch will be buying MySpace?
So when is the IPO?
I’ve been waiting for something like this to happen.
Brilliant decision.
Congratulations to Mike, Heather, and the entire TC Network!
Excellent move - Heather is a great partner for you. Congrats!!!
Great, maybe we can now make techcrunch less Mike dependent. Not that I have any beef with Mike, but if he wants a rich valuation for TC, it has to be separable from MA
Congratulations to Heather! Heather I think your new biz cards should say:
“Mike Arrington’s Boss”
Congrats Michael, did I hear say she will be taking care of new acquisitions? if that’s true I wont mind selling mediarati.com, veetube.com or bazaah.com to you network for the right price.
Congrats Mike… I thought you could always find M&A from the Deadpool lists:)
Yes mike
Tell us about investors / stake holders in TC . And what you class as the Techcrunch network ? is it just the blogs and job board or are their other segments.
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http://www.gushia.com
Mike, You are drafting a new grand story for the blogs. You show the world blogs are not just puppets but a greate force to reckon along with leading names in tech media. I like the professionalism in TC and Weblogs Inc network. Great work.
You must some day write a post refelecting the TechCrunch story from its early days. Just a request.
Congrats!
Congratulations Mike. Your growth is a fine example of how work and professionalism are keys to true success and can be used by anyone willing to put the time and belief in. You are a true success story and I wish you many years of success!
Are you planning on writing a book anytime in the near future?
Great, when are you going to get someone to write on TechCrunch UK again?
A totally natural move considering Mike’s ambitions. Congrats!
Congrats Mike! Glad to see the TC network grow.
-Brian
mike: congratulations, that’s an amazing & impressive catch. i’m impressed you’re willing to give up the CEO role in exchange for great talent like Heather. that’s a bold move.
heather: my condolences… surely you could have found a less stressful job than being mike’s boss? like being Yahoo’s CFO perhaps?
seriously, best of luck to both of you. heather, don’t give him an inch, cuz’ he’ll take a mile! but i’m sure this bodes quite well for the future of TC.
Congrats and cheers Michael and Heather!
I would just like to say congrats!
and i will go to business2.com
Now how about a TechCrunch mag?
Well done Mike glad to see all your efforts rewarded and TC going from strength to strength. Congrats to Heather too,
Congrats Mike. Best of Luck to both of you in taking TechCrunch to new heights.
Congrats to this move! This really puts blogging on the next corporate level!
Congrats - good for us all and especially you.
great news, great move! congrats TC.
Awesome! Great news.
Congratulations Heather. I’m sure you’ll add great value to Tech Crunch.
Well, I bet Fox is embarrassed—outclased by TechCrunch? LOL
She looks cute
Can I have her email id as well, so I could congratulate her
I’ve met Heather personally, Michael; and she’s a wonderful “catch”…even if she is too good for you
Worth whatever it (will) cost you to get her.
Best wishes to you both.
She’s your boss, but you’re paying her salary? Weird.
congrats - heather will be great for you guys!
Great news, wish you all the best.
Yay, and another powerful woman’s voice in high tech. I’m happy to see this in any capacity, and especially here. Welcome, Heather!
Wow. M&A CEO. That says something. I also hope TC holds onto what it is, although that’s tough during growth of a company in a fast changing industry.
Welcome aboard! This is a great site and I look forward to another perspective.
Congrats for Mike, Huggies for Heather
I guess I’m the only one that seen a little sarcasm in the post…When I read the post “happy” wasn’t the first emotion that came to thought!
DAMN Can I relate to the idea of wanting a boss, and how cool is it to be in a position to hire the boss of your liking. Talk about bottom up! Sounds like a good match. Congrats.
Congratulations on hiring one of FIM’s best and brightest!
Heather is one of the smartest and hardest working people I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. She’ll be sorely missed.
Good move Mike. Anxious to see what’s next.
Congrats to you both.
ian
nothing against TC or Arrington, lol…but how does a SVP of Fox move ‘downward’ into being the ceo of a blog?
either way, i’m sure it’ll work out for the best
Glad to see TechCrunch grow, the crown jewel of Techmeme.
I think it’s a very smart move because it’ll leave you to other parts of the business that’ll be critical while she handles the day to day.
This is fantastic news for TC. Michael can spend more time with companies and writing, while Heather helps to grow the empire. I propose another TC party! Who’s in?
Sheesh I remember when Techcrunch launched. It’s AMAZING what Michael has done with the site since then. His hard work and excellent reviews have made TechCrunch *the* site to visit for Web 2.0 news - I just hope he finds a way to use the site after the bubble bursts, because it will. Congrats to Heather on her new position.
bubble?
Hey, Mike uses the same computer I do :D… http://www.flickr.com/photos/l.....178627067/
Respect.
yeah, now we need to convert Heather to the cult of Mac.
funny thing is just like the mac/apple tv commercial…that image (#97) is just like the pc guy(heather) and arrington (mac guy) - style-wise
the pc guy(left-brained) being the suit; and the mac guy(right-brained) being the creative
I’m obviously happy about this one Mike, but you know that already.
Michael Arrington looks like a grown up Michael Cerra (george michael from Arrested Development) in that pic posted in comment #97
Breakfast?
FIM did a fantastic job of turning an old media company into an Internet powerhouse. It’ll be exciting cheering from the sidelines as you guys build TC into a BIG (but different) media company. Congrats!
Mike, congratulations to both you and Heather. I think this is a great move.
cool, congrats to all of you. she’s gonna take TC to the next level!
Thanks Michael, you is really a big guy, the world needs this kind of guy to cease the war in Iraq and to leave Africa’s misery.
Welcome Heather.
Thanks Michael, you are really a big guy, the world needs this kind of guy to cease the war in Iraq and to leave Africa’s misery.
Welcome Heather.
Congrats TechCrunch! The future looks very bright!
good job Mikey, now you can focus on checking your typos and writing about more meaningful subjects