Yahoo CEO Bartz declares management reorg

February 26, 2009 | Anthony Ha | Comments | |

Updated

Carol Bartz, who has been chief executive of Internet giant Yahoo for a month and a half, today used the company blog to announce a reorganization of management.

Bartz has been expected to shake up Yahoo’s structure for a while now; when the former Autodesk executive came on board in January, she said the company “frankly, could use a little management.” Yahoo definitely needs something to turn it around, especially after the final quarter of 2008, when it posted its first loss since 2002 (although Yahoo actually beat analysts’ expectations).

How exactly is Bartz reorganizing the company? That’s a good question, and one she doesn’t really answer in her post. Here are the scant details she offers:

So today I’m rolling out a new management structure that I believe will make Yahoo a lot faster on its feet. For us working at Yahoo, it means everything gets simpler. We’ll be able to make speedier decisions, the notorious silos are gone, and we have a renewed focus on the customer. For you using Yahoo every day, it will better enable us to deliver products that make you say, “Wow.”

Bartz also said she’s creating a new Customer Advocacy group, which will complement the existing Customer Care team to help Yahoo stay connected with the outside world. Or something.

This, incidentally, is Bartz’ first Yahoo blog post, and while it’s a bit short on specifics, I’m glad it reads like a real person wrote it and includes the phrases “People here have impressed the hell out of me” and “Look for this company’s brand to kick ass again.” Hopefully that optimism will seem justified in the coming months.

Update: Yahoo Chief Financial Officer Blake Jorgensen has also resigned. It’s not clear if this is related at all to the broader reorganization.

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Anthony is VentureBeat's assistant editor, as well as its reporter on enterprise technology, cloud computing, and tech policy. Before joining VentureBeat in 2008, Anthony worked at the Hollister Free Lance, where he won awards from the California Newspaper Publishers Association for breaking news coverage and writing. He attended Stanford University and now lives in San Francisco. Reach him at anthony@venturebeat.com. You can also follow Anthony on Twitter.

  • I think she brings a whole new perspective to Yahoo and is all ears (listening to employees at all levels, users, partners, etc.). I recall raising an eyebrow when Lou Gerstner arrived at IBM from RJR Nabisco, but he ended up doing a pretty good job.
  • Yes, most of the stuff I hear is positive -- though I don't follow Yahoo's corporate politics all that closely.
  • Peter Antypas
    Fresh perspective is long overdue at Yahoo. A bit too long actually. In a different market one would expect a mass exodus and brain drain, but given that Silicon Valley is pretty much dead, I don't see much else for Yahooers to do but stick with it and try to turn things around.

    I like her language.
  • I think the brain drain has already started, but agree that most rank-and-file employees probably aren't being inundated with job offers, given the economic climate.
  • Haha...have you ever used Yahoo hosting and then called to get some help you your site went down...completely horrendous cusotmer care.
  • Is this going to give any benefit to yahoo, whose shares are under immense pressure and who know MS one day can make a hostile bid for it.
  • cowboyjim77777
    I was fooled into signing bsck up with yohoo personals with a fake message.after i signed up and paid the message was gone. This was done 20 minutes ago and I would like u to stop the charge or refund it to my money this is outright fraud. If my refund comes thru my bank I will check the fraud dept and have it investigated
  • luckyzhu
    I recall raising an eyebrow when Lou Gerstner arrived at IBM from RJR Nabisco, but he ended up tiffany bracelets doing a pretty good job.