Yahoo Search Marketing yesterday announced that it has hired Ron Belanger as senior director of global advertiser strategy and development - "an ambassador to clients and agencies, serving as an expert resource in helping them effectively incorporate search marketing into their overall marketing mix," according to the announcement. Belanger will also support the planning and budgeting efforts of clients and agencies, helping them to develop and their performance-marketing infrastructures, Yahoo said.

Belanger recently left Carat Interactive, where he served as vice-president of search and affiliate marketing and developed marketing strategies for some 20 clients. At the time, he was reported to have joined direct navigation and domain squatting firm BuyDomains as VP of marketing.