Google China Head Kai-Fu Lee Leaves to Start New Venture

The head of Google’s China operation is leaving four years after his acrimonious departure from Microsoft, the search giant is announcing Friday. Kai-Fu Lee, president of Google’s Greater China operation, is expected to take part in a new venture, but details were not available. One report says he may work with California tech incubator Idealab to help Chinese entrepreneurs, but that report has not been confirmed and Google only said he will be establishing a new venture in Beijing. UPDATE: Lee’s publicist says his venture will have no connection to Idealab, and that his new venture will be announced Sept. 7. (Full releases from Google and Lee are after the jump.)

Lee will be replaced by two Chinese Google executives. Boon-Lock Yeo, director of Google’s Shanghai engineering office, will handle Lee’s engineering duties, and John Liu, head of Google’s sales team in Greater China, will take care of operations.