Google axes 200 as advertising slashed

Published on Friday 27 March 2009 20:00

GOOGLE is cutting its sales and marketing team by roughly 200, saying it had over-invested in certain parts of the company.

The move is the web search giant's latest effort to cut costs amid a tough economy and a broad slowdown in advertising spending. In January, Google laid off about 100 recruiters and said up to 40 would be laid off in February, when it pulled the plug on its radio advertising.

The US-based group has nearly 21,000 employees. It does not disclose how many staff work in sales and marketing.

Sameet Sinha, an analyst with JMP Securities, said the cuts were in keeping with the agenda of chief financial officer Patrick Pichette, who took the job last year and has made cost-cutting a priority.