(Yicai Global) Jan. 8 -- Baidu has snatched Alibaba's former vice president to manage its public and government relations while filling a position that's been vacant for about six months.  

Chu Yu took up the reins that ex-VP Wang Lu left behind last September to become an operating partner at New York-headquartered General Atlantic, The Paper reported yesterday. 

The Beijing-based search engine giant has not confirmed the appointment. 

Chu, who started working for internet companies in 2008, has served JD.Com and Lenovo Group as a VP to oversee government relations. He held onto that title when jumping ships to the Hangzhou-based e-commerce firm in 2016. 

Editor: Emmi Laine