Spot Runner hires away a top Microsoft Web exec

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Spot Runner, a start-up that helps people buy local TV advertising online, said on Thursday it had hired former Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) online ad chief Joanne Bradford as a sales executive.

Bradford will join the privately held Los Angeles-based company as executive vice president of national marketing services, starting in late March. Bradford will be responsible for leading the business unit focused on national advertisers.

At Microsoft, Bradford was corporate vice president and chief media officer of MSN Media Network -- the software giant's Internet information and entertainment business.

Her departure comes a month and a half after Microsoft launched its unsolicited $40 billion plus bid for Internet rival Yahoo Inc (YHOO.O), saying it planned to eliminate overlapping operations at Yahoo and MSN once the deal is done.

Over the past year, Bradford had graduated from running Microsoft's Internet ad sales as the company brought in outsiders including aQuantive head Brian McAndrews and former Ask.com chief Steve Berkowitz.

"Hiring Joanne is a huge win for Spot Runner," Spot Runner Chairman and CEO Nick Grouf said in a statement. "Her background in both online and offline media is a perfect fit for us," he said.

Bradford was vice president and director of North American ad sales for BusinessWeek magazine before joining Microsoft in 2001.

(Reporting by Eric Auchard; Editing by Gary Hill)