1,200 Microsoft jobs at risk as operations sold to AOL and AppNexus

Microsoft is handing over part of its operations to AOL and AppNexus, with jobs potentially being lost in the process.

A ‘person with knowledge in the matter,’ speaking to Bloomberg, said that Microsoft, the most attractive employer brand in the world, is shutting down its Web display advertising business, and handing over operations to AOL and AppNexus.

The source said around 1,200 jobs will be affected. Some positions will be moved to AOL and AppNexus, while others will be cut. The financial terms of the deal weren’t immediately known.  

In an internal email acquired by GeekWire last week, CEO Satya Nadella outlined the company’s agenda: “I believe that culture is not static. It evolves every day based on the behaviours of everyone in the organisation. We are in an incredible position to seize new growth this year. We will need to innovate in new areas, execute against our plans, make some tough choices in areas where things are not working and solve hard problems in ways that drive customer value.”