Yahoo’s quest for finding someone to fill in the shoes of co-founder Jerry Yang is finally over, as the company’s new CEO is Carol Bartz, chairman and former CEO of the computer design software company Autodesk.
Through a short conference call made earlier today, the new CEO released the first official statement on behalf of the company, saying that Yahoo is indeed a strong company and in order to get back on the right track, it simply needs a little management. She also added that she will need to talk to her staff on various issues before announcing any decisions involving the company’s future.
"Let's give this company some friggin' breathing room," she declared in the conference call, being aware that it will take some time for her to understand the works of the Internet business and prepare a useful strategy.
This is one of the most debated aspects, as Bartz has no media or Internet experience, and the first few months, to say the least, will be needed to bring her up to date on Yahoo’s operations and the industry’s evolution. Only then will she be able to figure out the company’s place on the market and hopefully determine a successful plan. Still, during this learning process, she is very likely to feel the pressure of Yahoo’s investors, advertisers and employees.
It is almost certain that will will be indeed a job with many challenges and new tasks for her, but everyone should understand that she was chosen after a careful consideration and with good motive. She was Autodesk’s chairman, president and CEO for 14 years, before deciding to step off in April 2006 to focus on her family. One of the events that portray her best is her diagnose with breast cancer, which was given on her first day with Autodesk. After just one month off, she returned to the office and handled business as usual, leaving only for her monthly chemotherapy treatments.
Before joining Autodesk, she was the vice president of worldwide field operations at Sun Microsystems, presenting a vast background in the technical business of systems architecture and engineering. In 2005, she was named one of the 50 most powerful women in business by Fortune Magazine and also, in the same year, one of the world’s 30 most respected CEOs by Barron’s.
Over the years, the 60-year-old Bartz managed to prove over and over again that she possesses the needed leadership ability and also that her skills, determination and competitive spirit help her reach the wanted goals.
Hal Dawson, member of Autodesk's board of directors, talked to the LATimes about Carol Bartz’s carrier and manner of handling her business. "When she needed to be tough, she could be tough as nails," he said, adding that "When someone needed a hug, she could give them a hug." He concluded that her decision to get involved with another company did not come as a surprise, as he always thought that "there was too much gas in the tank for her to turn off the engine."
