Amazon is suing a former executive for taking a job with Google and violating a non-compete agreement, according to reports.
Zoltan Szabadi, a former Amazon Web Services strategic partnerships manager, took a job working on the Google Cloud Platform and Amazon's lawsuit says that he broke his non-compete agreement, according to GeekWire.
“Szabadi was directly and integrally involved with the marketing of Amazon’s cloud computing business to its partners and resellers, and played a significant role in developing Amazon’s business strategy and direction in this area,” the suit says. “Szabadi was involved in developing, implementing and managing Amazon Web Services’ strategy for many of its partners, and was the first point of contact for most partners who were considering working with Amazon.”
The suit was filed in King County Superior Court in Seattle last week, likely because California has found many non-compete agreement invalid -- and it's in Google's backyard. Google also restricted Szabadi from recruiting employees or customers from Amazon for six months -- but Amazon still isn't happy and contends that Szabadi isn't abiding by Amazon's stronger non-compete agreement.
Amazon sued Daniel Powers, a former Amazon Web Services vice president for heading to Google last year, but a judge "declined to enforced the most sweeping provisions," according to GeekWire. With Szabadi, Amazon wants an injunction to stop him from working in "Google's cloud computing business with any partners or resellers." That may prove difficult.
Google and Amazon are in a
battle to the death over e-commerce and non-compete agreements are a favorite Amazon tool to prevent Google gaining an advantage. Although it's unlikely the non-compete agreement will change much of anything, Amazon will continue to press the lawsuit to show Google it has no intention of backing down from its challenge.
