New Moto Mobility CEO eyed: Reports

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The European Union’s competition watchdog on Tuesday opened two investigations into whether Libertyville-based Motorola Mobility, which is being bought by Google, is unfairly restricting competitors from licensing essential patents..

Updated: March 25, 2012 8:15AM

Neither Google nor Motorola Mobility would discuss news reports Thursday that Google will name Dennis Woodside, a Google ad sales executive, to succeed Sanjay Jha as chief operating officer of the Libertyville-based smart-phone and TV set-top box company.

Google is acquiring Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion in a deal expected to be completed as soon as China gives its OK.

Bloomberg News quoted three unnamed sources as naming Woodside, who previously served as president of Google’s Americas region and oversaw the Google-Motorola deal, as the next CEO frontrunner candidate.

Google’s August announcement that it was buying Motorola Mobility came eight months after Mobility split from the old Motorola and three months after it took $100 million in a 10-year incentive deal to keep its headquarters in Libertyville. The deal revolves around Google’s interest in Mobility’s vast patent holdings, as well as Mobility’s need to realize greater value from its holdings.

Jha is expected to realize $66 million or more on the deal as he departs, based on corporate compensation filings.

Said Mobility spokeswoman Jennifer Erickson, “Sanjay is fully engaged, focused on running the business and getting the deal closed.”

A Google spokeswoman declined comment.