Microsoft confirms Yammer acquisition

Microsoft has confirmed it is to buy the enterprise social network, Yammer, for $1.2bn in cash.

Launched in 2008, Yammer has more than 5 million corporate users from the likes of motor giant Ford and business services company, Deloitte.

The network allows employees to join a free private social network - in effect a business version of Facebook - and currently includes employees at 85% of the Fortune 500.

Microsoft's latest deal follows its acquisition of Skype last year, which is now being integrated into various Microsoft products including Office software. The computing giant plans to accelerate Yammer’s adoption alongside complementary offerings from Microsoft SharePoint, Office 365, Microsoft Dynamics and Skype.

“When we started Yammer four years ago, we set out to do something big,” said Yammer CEO, David Sacks. “We had a vision for how social networking could change the way we work. Joining Microsoft will accelerate that vision and give us access to the technologies, expertise and resources we’ll need to scale and innovate.”

Steve Ballmer, CEO, Microsoft said: “Yammer adds a best-in-class enterprise social networking service to Microsoft’s growing portfolio of complementary cloud services.”

Yammer will join the Microsoft Office Division, led by division President Kurt DelBene, and the team will continue to report to current CEO David Sacks.

Most popular news in Telecoms & networks

Seven million adults have never used the Internet reports UK government
Kemp Technologies adds extra security to load balancers
Researchers reveal new method for optical processors
u²t Photonics claims world’s fastest balanced photodetector
Toshiba photocouplers target RS-232 and RS-232C communications