Rumor: Panguso CTO Resigns to Join Qihoo 360
Netease Tech, 7/05/13
According to a source inside Panguso, the national-level online and mobile search engine developed by China Mobile (NYSE: CHL; 0941.HK) and Xinhua News Agency, Panguso CTO Chen Liren has left his position at the company to join Chinese internet services and security software provider Qihoo 360 (NYSE: QIHU).
Chen will reportedly serve as Mobile Director at Qihoo 360. Chen is the first employee in Qihoo 360's mobile division, and will be responsible for growing Qihoo 360's mobile team.
Chen was formerly a member of the Google China team, later leaving the company with Liu Jun, former Deputy Director of Google China's Research Institute, to found social search engine Yunyun.com. Chen left Yunyun.com in 2012 to join Panguso.
A number of Chinese-language news sources have reported recently on a potential merger between Panguso and Jike, the online search platform operated by the People's Daily, with Panguso CEO Wang Hongyu returning to China Mobile after the tie up and Jike GM Deng Yaping declining to join the new company as well. The new company is rumored to be receiving investment from a number of private news organizations, in addition to Jike's current state-owned news backers.
Keywords: Liu Jun Wang Hongyu China Mobile Internet online search mobile search People's Daily CHL Xinhua 0941.HK Qihoo 360 Deng Yaping Jike QIHU Panguso Chen Liren M&A HR wireless