Apple's Mobile Ad Exec Andy Miller Jumps Ship To Highland Capital

Apple's head of mobile advertising, Andy Miller, has given notice that he will be leaving Apple to join Boston-based venture firm Highland Capital. Miller has been spearheading Apple's iAd mobile advertising operation since he joined the company in 2010, which was when his mobile advertising service Quattro had been purchased by Apple.

Miller co-founded Quattro back in 2006 and then sold the company to Apple in early 2010 for $275 million. At the time, it was announced that the company would join Apple but their services would remain intact. However, in August, Quattro was shutdown to launch Apple's own iAd platform. The iAd mobile advertising platform serves up interactive rich-media ads on iPhone and iPod touch apps, but has been criticized for Apple's tight control and high prices.

Before Miller sold Quattro to Apple, Highland Capital and Globespan Capital Partners had invested about $30 million into the company. And now Miller will be leaving his position as Apple's vice-president of mobile advertising to become a general partner at the venture firm to focus on both mobile and broader digital investments.

[via AllThingsD]