Carol Bartz Is No Yahoo

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO - News), the premier digital media company, today announced a leadership reorganization under which the Board of Directors has appointed Timothy Morse interim Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately, replacing Carol Bartz, who has been removed by the Board from her role as Chief Executive Officer.

The Board has also named key senior Yahoo! executives to a newly formed Executive Leadership Council tasked with supporting Morse in managing the Company's day-to-day operations until a permanent chief executive is appointed, as well as supporting a comprehensive strategic review that the Board has initiated to position the Company for future growth.

Roy Bostock, Chairman of the Yahoo! Board, said, "The Board sees enormous growth opportunities on which Yahoo! can capitalize, and our primary objective is to leverage the Company's leadership and current business assets and platforms to execute against these opportunities. We have talented teams and tremendous resources behind them and intend to return the Company to a path of robust growth and industry-leading innovation. We are committed to exploring and evaluating possibilities and opportunities that will put Yahoo! on a trajectory for growth and innovation and deliver value to shareholders."

Bostock continued, "On behalf of the entire Board, I want to thank Carol for her service to Yahoo! during a critical time of transition in the Company's history, and against a very challenging macro-economic backdrop. I would also like to express the Board's appreciation to Tim and thank him for accepting this important role. We have great confidence in his abilities and in those of the other executives who have been named to the Executive Leadership Council."

One has to wonder if those possibilities and opportunities revolve around a long-standing issue where Microsoft has tried to acquire Yahoo. Much to the disappointment of the shareholders at large, Yahoo politely declined and continued to chug along. I truly don't think Yahoo is in danger of ever disappearing, but they haven't grown much in the last few years. However, I can't think of any of the original Internet giants who can make that claim. Yahoo has survived many a merger and collapse. This change could be the opening act for a short fall. For what it's worth, I hope not. It was a big deal for me to leave Yahoo for Google. I hope they hang in there, because they provide a lot of services and a choice for many.