Another high profile Google (NSDQ: GOOG) departure: VP of Engineering Douglas Merrill has left the online giant and joined the embattled music label EMI as its president of its digital unit, apparently in an attempt to add more digital mojo at the company. The news was first reported here and then confirmed by News.com. He will stay in California, even though EMI is based in London…he joined Google in late 2003 as Senior Director of Information Systems.

• EMI Confirms Up To 2,000 Job Losses In Restructuring