SAN FRANCISCO, USA: Google Inc has tapped the former communications chief of John McCain's presidential campaign to head up the company's corporate communications efforts, a source familiar with the matter said.

Jill Hazelbaker recently joined Google, according to the source, and is expected to replace Matt Furman as head of corporate communications in the next couple of weeks. Furman is leaving the Internet search giant to become vice president of corporate affairs for a large multinational company based on the East Coast, according to the source.

Hazelbaker was the communications director for McCain's unsuccessful 2008 campaign against President Barack Obama. She also worked in New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's most recent re-election campaign.

News of the move was first reported by the Wall Street Journal on Monday.