Yahoo: Major Reorg Coming This Week? Also, Media Changes And APT Rollout Slowed Down
This story was written by Staci D. Kramer.
Given Kara Swisher's direct connect to Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO), if she's reporting a major reorg is on the way, it's worth watching. Then again, given the frequency of reorganizations for the company, you could open a calendar, throw a dart and odds are you'd pick one, too. Maybe the more traditional approach Kara says is on the way from new CEO Carol Bartz, perhaps as soon as this Wednesday, is the one that will stick.
Details are scant but most of her sources are expecting a roll back of the previous reorganizations from former CEO Jerry Yang and former President Sue Decker and a structure more like the one she had at Autodesk: "Thus, most expect Bartz to do a C-level style set-up, with execs like a COO, CTO and also a new, more powerful CMO (who will also head PR), all reporting to her. In addition, several suggested she might also junk a recent reorg that split the world into four regions. Instead, one exec could head the U.S., where most of Yahoo's current business is, and one head international efforts."
The long-expected reorg of the media group is on the way, too. Looks like product and programming will be split, with Aah Patel, EVP of the company's Audience Product Division, gaining product development. Jeff Dossett, the still-new head of U.S. Audience, is said to support the move.
Kara also has a couple of memos from Bartz, including one from Feb. 13 with a comment that should thrill Rafat, who is a longtime proponent of Yahoo trimming its product list: "we are assembling a list of products that we are embarrassed about for various reasons so we can make the important decision as to whether we fix them or discontinue them."
Advertising changes: Bartz has put the reigns on a larger rollout of APT: " We have also decided to "perfect" APT! in the US and only one international market before we roll it out globally." And the company is pulling back mail ads in emerging countries with slower bandwidth. Bartz: "This will mean a drop in revenue for us but it's the right thing to do strategically."
By Staci D. Kramer