Google CEO Promotes Engineers in Management Shuffle

Newly installed Google Chief Executive Larry Page promoted at least seven executives in charge of some of its most important divisions, as he continued his attempt to cut red tape and improve-decision making at the Internet giant.

The seven known promoted executives -- five of whom are software engineers like Page -- include the chiefs of video site YouTube and mobile-device software Android. They will report directly to Page. The move comes the same week Jonathan Rosenberg, a senior vice president who oversaw four of the newly promoted executives, said he would leave the company. Page is also tying 25% of this year's employee bonuses to the success of Google's social-networking initiatives, which will add a social "layer" atop many of Google's products, including Web search, YouTube, and Picasa, the photo-sharing service, among others, said people familiar with the matter. Google is trying prevent Facebook and other social-networking companies from gaining an upper hand on Web innovation and potential advertising dollars. The reorganization, which makes Google's top product leaders directly accountable to Page, is part of a goal to streamline decision-making after the Web-search company became sluggish in that respect in recent years.