We say “hello”, they say “goodbye”

Tateru Nino reports some interesting news concerning Linden Lab, with three new hires joining the ranks, namely Judy Wade, Eric Argel and Peter Gray.

Wade comes in as “Vice President of Stategy and Emerging Business,” while Argel is the new “Director of Information Architecture”. Gray joins as a “PR specialist”.

What is most interesting about Wade and Argel is their pedigree: Wade was formerly employed by Mitch Kapor (a serving member of the Linden Lab Board), while Argel worked at Organic…former home of Linden Lab’s CEO Mark Kingdon (“M” Linden).

Quite what their precise roles will be is unclear. However, it would appear that Argel’s role has potential cross-over with that of Frank Ambrose (“FJ” Linden), the Senior VP for Global Technology. Has Frank perhaps been too forthcoming of late with he blogs on the status of the Grid?

Wade’s title is probably more revealing, and again, following on from the acquisition of XStreet SL and OnRez, tends to confirm that the Lab is moving to pitch itself more as a service provider than the “mere” platform provider it has until now insisted it has been.

Question is, service provider to whom? The existing user community? This is kind of hard to accept given the overwhelming attitude of Kingdon and Zdanowski, which frequently suggest we are a necessary evil to be tolerated, rather than embraced, while taking the company on to Bigger Things.

Again, taken in a broader context: the emphasis on “immersive experiences”, tie-in with the likes of Rivers Run Red, Wade’s title and Argel’s background do tend to point to Kingdon et al pinning a good part of the Lab’s future on “corporate solutions”.

Or are they looking to beef-up the company for an IPO or possible technology sell-off, as some have suggested? Of course, talk of IPOs have been around for a while – as have reasons for the company not going in that direction. But times are changing. Kapor et al like to have Things That Do Things – and push-come-to-shove, in the real business world, SL actually does very little in the scheme of things. Perhaps the only thing mitigating against an IPO at the moment is the general state of the global economy, and you can be sure Kapor et al will want their pound of flesh arising from any offering. Which is why a technology sell-off might be more the thing…

But back to staff. As both Tateru and Prokofy Neva note, Kathleen Craig (Katt Linden) has now gone from the Lab, having departed last week. While Linden Lab rarely – if ever – discuss specifics of staff moves, that Katt went without mention, and no apparent move has been made to replace her in the role of “Resident Communications Manager” again tends to confirm the importance (or lack thereof) The Management accorded her position, as I reported on her appointment. It will be interesting to see if we ever hear anything about the position she filled, or whether it’ll be carefully packed into a box and filed in the Lab’s basement….

Peter Gray’s role seems somewhat nebulous based on the reports filed so far, and one awaits the official Linden Lab announcement with interest. However, he comes from Lewis PR, the firm used by Linden Lab for its PR and media communications. This suggests that he is somewhat familiar with Second Life…and also begs the question, whither Catherine Smith (Catherine Linden), the Lab’s Senior Marketing Manager? Is she indeed consigned to the Lab’s car park, as Prokofy Neva suggests?