Google CIO heads out the door

Another day, another CIO heading out the door. This time it's a big loss for Google, whose CIO is leaving. Douglas Merrill, the now former Google CIO, is becoming the president of EMI's digital unit, according to CNET. EMI is the 4th largest record label in the world and is based in London.

This is a pretty interesting move for a guy who has always marched to the beat of his own drummer. Merrill says he first got interested in online security and hacking while growing up in Arkansas. He found ways to "play with" membership rolls on white supremacist bulletin boards and wanted to embarrass them. That's a fairly interesting way to start out a career for someone who would later earn a master's and doctorate in psychology from Princeton. But while IT geeks may be scratching their heads, Merrill's move could be a breath of fresh air for a troubled record industry.

For more on Google's exiting CIO:
- See this CNET article