Google Cloud’s top US sales executive departs

Alphabet Inc’s Google promoted the head of its international cloud businesses, Adaire Fox-Martin, to take on a top sales role as part of an operating model rejig, a spokesperson said on Thursday.

The head of Google Cloud unit in the Americas, Kirsten Kliphouse, has left the company, the spokesperson said.

Fox-Martin’s appointment aims at “unifying global go-to-market organization,” the company said and the role will focus on all global sales as well as service and support.

The Information had previously reported Kliphouse’s departure.

The shakeup comes as growth in the cloud software and services industry has slowed as clients look to trim costs and optimize their expenditure on cloud services.

The company is also under pressure amid disappointing ad sales, with advertisers cutting back on their spending in the face of an economic slowdown.

Earlier on Wednesday, Alphabet’s health science unit, Verily Life Sciences, had laid off over 200 employees, or about 15% of its workforce, marking the first time in at least six years when Alphabet or its affiliate has announced job cuts. Reuters