Skype snaps up ex-Yahoo exec

Madhu Yarlagadda takes on role of chief development officer

Yarlagadda begins his role in July

Skype has snapped up the services of ex-Yahoo maestro Madhu Yarlagadda. He will take on the role of chief development officer and will report directly to Skype CEO Josh Silverman.

Madhu’s previous role at Yahoo was as vice president of engineering for integrated consumer experiences. He spent more than 11 years in key leadership positions at the company, including vice president of engineering for Yahoo Communities.

He was instrumental in establishing Yahoo Messenger as the largest messaging client in the US, surpassing ICQ, AIM, MSN Messenger and Google Talk, according to Skype.

Dan Berg, Skype’s current chief technology officer, will remain at the company to ensure a smooth transition, as Yarlagadda begins his role in July. Skype said it has not yet decided whether or not Berg will continue to work at the company.

“I’d like to thank Dan for his significant contributions in steering, scaling and strengthening our global technology efforts,” said Skype CEO Silverman.