Yahoo! Confirms Bartz As CEO, With A Twist (YHOO, ADSK, CSCO, INTC, NTAP)

Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) has now confirmed reports that the former head of Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) Carol Bartz will become CEO of the troubled search and online media company.  But this is also coming with a twist as a top Yahoo executive who was considered for the job also is resigning.

Carol Bartz has a reputation of looking for solutionsrather than getting caught up with problems. She turned aroundAutodesk and has experience at SunMicrosystems, Digital Equipment Corporation and 3M.  Bartz hasbeen the Lead Independent Director of Cisco Systems since 2005 and adirector since 1996, and she currently serves on the boards of Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) and NetApp, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTAP).

But here is the twist.  President Sue Decker has informed the companythat she will resign after a transitional period.  She has been passedover before to lead the company, so it is not a surprise thatshe is leaving.  There was too much controversy on whether she had tobe a "yes person" under Yang on the botched acquisition by Microsoft.  Some will be glad that Decker is out, and some will not.

Bartz is likely a good choice.  She is an operator and a manager.  She also is unlikely to just accept the doldrumswhich have become the norm.  Posting growth will be difficultin this current economy, so Wall Street is going to have to likelycreate a different yard stick to measure her performance.. 

Jon C. Ogg
January 13, 2009