Stepping down

Posted November 18th, 2008 at 9:09 am by Jerry Yang, CEO & Chief Yahoo

 80 Comments / Filed in: Trends & News

As you’ve no doubt already read, I’ve decided that I will step down from my role as Chief Executive Officer after my successor has been selected.

Ever since founding Yahoo! with David Filo 13 years ago, I’ve been passionate about this company, its brand, its employees, and the millions of people around the world who consider it their online home. That’s why I accepted the Board’s request to become CEO in June 2007, taking on the challenge of transforming Yahoo! at a time when the industry was evolving quickly and we needed to rethink and restructure our business.

And despite the tough external environment that we face, I truly believe we’ve made tangible progress in bringing our strategic vision to life. Most significantly, we’ve rewired our entire network to create a Yahoo! that has opened its doors to outside publishers and developers. We’ve launched an advertising platform that we think will transform how ads are bought and sold online. And we’ve continued to grow our audience –- standing first or second in more than 20 product categories and demonstrating that Yahoo! is the place users turn for major events like the Olympics and the Elections.

And now I believe the time is right for us to bring in a new leader –- someone who will build on the important pillars we’ve put in place and who will take the reins on the critical decisions our company faces. As for me, I’ll be returning to my role as Chief Yahoo and board member once my successor is named. I’ll go back to focusing on our global strategy, product excellence, technology innovation, and working with the Board and our executive team to help Yahoo! realize its full potential.

It’s been an extraordinary year here at Yahoo! –- for all of us. I’m really proud of the determination and resilience of Yahoos around the world who are so committed to giving you the best Internet experience possible. It is for them, and for you, that I will always bleed purple.

Jerry Yang
Chief Yahoo and CEO

Tagged: jerry yang, news

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80 Comments Add your own

AMBER B | November 18th, 2008 at 9:21 am

Dear Mr. Yang
As you step down from your CEO position with Yahoo I would like to wish you all the best in your future ventures! I would also like to inquire about the recent job opening for CEO of Yahoo. Are they hiring?
Thank you!

Stephanie | November 18th, 2008 at 9:45 am

Best Wishes. Since you are still going to be hanging out, please continue to ensure that microsoft does not purchase yahoo. Yahoo has been my favorite site and my home page for years and years. Invetiably it would change or disappear all together if purchased by Microsoft. Please don’t let them ruin a good thing!

Yung Chang | November 18th, 2008 at 9:59 am

Forget Microsoft.

Jeremy | November 18th, 2008 at 10:15 am

You have done a fantastic job, Mr. Yang.

John Martinez | November 18th, 2008 at 10:22 am

I believe a new CEO should have some great innovative ideas that he can bring to the Yahoo! table. I have created a new way for search, and for ads on the internet. This will make Yahoo! the new search engine. Our goal we need to consider is beating the competition. How, and When? Create the engine to search more in detail from pictures, video (not the video title) more like a video overlay. Yahoo! needs to overcome and adapt in every situation. It’s not about should we create a new social network, which has not really succeeded, but to consider, if you create a look-a-like of the competition, you need to think about what can we do to make it different, and not just different, users like easy, make things easy and fun. Users always want to feel like they are entertained and they feel important that they are making changes. There is more ideas that I can suggest on making Yahoo! The best search engine in the entire internet. Let’s make Yahoo! come back and be the number one that is should be.

Sincerely,

John Martinez
President/CEO
JM2.us & Vorce.com
ceo@jm2.us

Boris | November 18th, 2008 at 10:41 am

Fight the good fight Jerry!

Randy | November 18th, 2008 at 11:00 am

Good luck in the crappy economy!

Adie | November 18th, 2008 at 11:11 am

Best wishes Jerry. Please keep Yodel Anecdotaling and just say no to Microsoft.

Ethan Bloch | November 18th, 2008 at 11:11 am

Is staying on the board really a good idea? If stepping down as CEO is a sign Yahoo needs new direction, meaning they were going in the wrong direction to begin with, how is keeping you around a good thing?

I don’t mean to sound pissy or tart, but I’m taking the stance as a shareholder and I’m not sure your sticking around is necessary or good for the company.

How will this story end?

Cheers.

Ethan

dirk | November 18th, 2008 at 11:17 am

I am so happy, i feel like i won the lottery. Even after you lost me 10 grand in stock when you declined the Microsoft offer, and caused the stock to plummet 2/3 the value, you will still go down in history as the most resilient CEO in web 2.0 history..

Fubiz | November 18th, 2008 at 11:22 am

Thanks for the job.

Joe Mescher | November 18th, 2008 at 11:46 am

Thanks for the inspired vision that led to the creation of Yahoo! in the first place.

Mandar Deodhar | November 18th, 2008 at 11:51 am

Since Yahoo is your baby, you can not think of doing anything wrong with it. But unfortunately, some decisions were not correct or didn’t work out. It happens !!! You have already given us a great product - Yahoo. Hope it ill continue to grow.

By the way … are you hiring ?

Anthony Farrior | November 18th, 2008 at 12:10 pm

A labor of love is laborious nonetheless. I wish you continued success in all of your future ventures…

arabcrunch | November 18th, 2008 at 12:16 pm

best wishes, i am waiting for the launch of the integrated social products and social mail.

James | November 18th, 2008 at 12:25 pm

Jerry,

We all know how the media spins things….try to filter all the negative crap the news companies fan out. You have done an excellent job at creating a wonderful product, building an awesome California company and helping our community. Please do what you can to avoid Microsoft! Microsoft kills everything they touch!!!!

Best of wishes.

James

ps - hope to see you back in the city one of these days.

Ash | November 18th, 2008 at 12:44 pm

I think the new leader should start by getting back to the entrepreanurial innovation that made Yahoo! so popular in the first place. I mean Yahoo! has been dead for years now, its going to take a pretty big shakeup to get it back on track. I mean the links to the right of Jerry Yang’s blog post don’t even work - its symbolic of how broken Yahoo! is.

Eric Snellman | November 18th, 2008 at 12:46 pm

You did what is best for the employee. This country needs more people with a vision. Technology is the only solution to the problems we face today. Perhaps you should let microsoft buy and cash out then work ground up again on something new.

Sopharine | November 18th, 2008 at 12:47 pm

Good Luck Yang..
You’re lucky and proudly to have founded Yahoo!

Bjorn Tipling | November 18th, 2008 at 1:01 pm

Looks like you found a computer with a working shift key.

The Khuc | November 18th, 2008 at 1:03 pm

Dear Mr. Yang:

You are my inspiration. Keep up the good fight!

Best wishes,
TK

Overclock | November 18th, 2008 at 1:35 pm

Wish you the best of luck Mr Yang.
All the best for you

Br,
OC
http://www.app4mobile.com

MasterNegotiator | November 18th, 2008 at 1:57 pm

Good luck, it has been an amazing year for your company.

hk | November 18th, 2008 at 1:59 pm

Mr Yang,

I am a subscriber to Yahoo and I have also been using the your email services of yahoo for many, many years. I was very happy when you decided to not sell to MS. Keep up the good work which ever position your at and stay true to your beliefs no matter what others say.

HK

Richard | November 18th, 2008 at 2:00 pm

Mr. Yang,

I wish you the best, but I feel you did a disservice to your shareholders, of which I am one. The offer from Microsoft would have definitely increased the value of my Yahoo stock, which is now at an all time low. In your future endeavors, please consider this a learning opportunity. A CEO is there to steward a company, guide it to success, and to ensure the investors are compensated for the money they invested in the company.

Steve Joyce | November 18th, 2008 at 2:01 pm

I hope that other leaders can pick up where you left off.

Jonathan Sterling | November 18th, 2008 at 2:07 pm

I wondered when somebody would comment on the capitalisation…

But, in all seriousness, I wish you all the best in your future at Yahoo!.

Jack Kim | November 18th, 2008 at 2:19 pm

Thank you. Jerry Yang

I use yahoo and I like yahoo.

Yahoo does have better products then msn or google

I like yahoo because it is not msn or google

Yahoo is one of the pillar of the internet.

I hope yahoo will still stand after you have left your post.

LONG LIVE YAHOO

Jack K.

Jon Alimjanov | November 18th, 2008 at 2:20 pm

Mr.Yang,
Best wishes, and we will wait for new ideas from you.

Jon.

Eli Compton | November 18th, 2008 at 2:21 pm

Mr. Yang,

Thanks for running this company into the ground before stepping down. As a shareholder, I was thrilled when you rejected an offer to sell the company for what was realisticly at least 3 times what it was actually worth. The title Chief Yahoo does not do you justice.

Best,

Eli Compton

YourSash Staff | November 18th, 2008 at 2:22 pm

Best of luck with your future! It is without a doubt your influence and company has helped shape the internet to be what it is today.

Andrew | November 18th, 2008 at 2:29 pm

Never forget the engineers!

Thanks, Jerry, for all that you have left at the table.

RAW | November 18th, 2008 at 2:32 pm

Mr. Yang,

Good luck in your future endeavours… I believe this decision is the best for all parties. I would like Yahoo to take a radical approach when searching for a new CEO (ie. Mark Cuban, Steve Wozniac, etc…)

RAW

Raj | November 18th, 2008 at 2:46 pm

Good luck with your future projects! You did a great Job with Yahoo!

LMAO | November 18th, 2008 at 2:56 pm

Jerry you did a great job.

Especially turning down a $31 dollar per share price offer from Steve Ballmer…

JamesH | November 18th, 2008 at 3:10 pm

You did the right thing, Jerry. And I believe you can have a successful YHOO within a subculture of MSFT. A sale is the best thing for shareholders and is necessary to challenge GOOG, whose dominance (beyond market share) should be scarier than MSFT, who needs/wants you.

Hmm. | November 18th, 2008 at 3:29 pm

Too little, too late.

Luis | November 18th, 2008 at 3:34 pm

my name is Luis, and your support lost 10 years of email because they did not escalate. I tried for months to get them to escalate. The wanted me to pay for services before I could get phone support.

I have come to strongly dislike Yahoo after having signed up for email on day one (id: thegraphicartist …not some random id with numbers and such, so I really liked it) but I don’t and can’t use it now. It’s useless to me now. I was even subscribed to your magazine and pointed no less than 300 people to Yahoo as an IT manager in the Army.

Your company is stretched to thin as it is right now. Yahoo! needs to focus on what made it great. Yahoo! is now longer Yahoo! to me… it’s more like “Eh”.

Gabe Vega CEO The BlindTechs Network | November 18th, 2008 at 3:58 pm

Mr. Yang, I am sorry to hear of your departure from Yahoo, from CEO to CEO let me tell you that you should take the advantage of being on the board and still have a way to mold and shape Yahoo in to a better product for the good of the world as it once has. by the way, is there a HR email that I may send my resume to for your CEO opening?

Thanks
Gabe Vega
CEO
The BlindTechs Network
(623) 565-9357
http://www.theblindtechsnetwork.com

Johan | November 18th, 2008 at 4:24 pm

This all started when the horrific changes were made to the message boards. Coincidence? I think not.

K. Garvey | November 18th, 2008 at 5:08 pm

Dear Mr. Yang,

As an early XML evangelist, I would like to acknowledge Yahoo as an innovator in the adaption of XML. While open APIs and Cloud computing may drive the future, XML has become the foundational meta-language of the semantic web.

I would love to see Yahoo and Firefox team up to develop an Xforms driven plaform that is device agnostic and allows anyone to program or develop custom apps easily for fun and profit. Perhaps that could be your next project.

Thank You for your vision,

KG

Trad | November 18th, 2008 at 5:25 pm

Mr. Yang,

I want to commend you for your fight against Microsoft. I admit Microsoft has made very good decisions about most endeavors, but the purchase of Yahoo! would not have been good for the shareholders of Microsoft or Yahoo!. I know you fought a massive tide of negative press and pressure for doing the right thing, but years or months from now everyone will see your decision was right.

It’s tough to do the right thing, not everyone can.

Trad Robinson

afd | November 18th, 2008 at 6:45 pm

Yang, since you like people like Mark Cuban so much.. why dont you put him in your place?

Shyam | November 18th, 2008 at 6:48 pm

Great job Mr. Chang for giving internet community a great product like Yahoo. For years it has been my default home page. Please dont let Microsoft take it over. I am sure there must be a lot going on at the R&D of Yahoo to be the undisputed no. 1. I would also like to thank Yahoo for getting my biz a raise through your listings services.

Best of Luck

Shyam

http://www.ensocreations.com

Fan | November 18th, 2008 at 7:09 pm

Jerry:

Thanks for your hard work! Also, many of us at the Stanford SCTI Japan exchange program want to thank you for sponsoring the trip to China. We used to tease our TA that he might become the next Jerry Yang.

Good luck and I am a huge supporter.

Carla | November 18th, 2008 at 7:11 pm

Jerry - in spite of what everyone says I have always believed in you and believe in the company. I was a loyal Yahoo! even before I started working for you and like you I will always bleed purple!!!

Mike @ WannaDevelop.com | November 18th, 2008 at 7:23 pm

Thank you very much, Mr. Yang

Mike
http://www.wannadevelop.com

Vivek | November 18th, 2008 at 8:03 pm

Mr. Yang,

Yahoo is a fantastic website and I’m sure you must be proud of what you’ve achieved in it’s history. I believe that your motivation to not sell it to Microsoft was similar to the motivation of not giving up one’s child for adoption. Although I understand the sentiment of shareholder value protection, I do appreciate what you’ve done in the best interests and traditions of Yahoo.

I wish you the best in your future.

Regards,

Vivek.

Mike Abundo | November 18th, 2008 at 8:49 pm

Jerry, until publishers outside the United States can sign up for YPN, all your talk of “an advertising platform that we think will transform how ads are bought and sold online” is utterly meaningless to most of the world.

gabesan | November 18th, 2008 at 9:35 pm

:)

Abhinav Agrawal | November 18th, 2008 at 9:41 pm

Mr Yang

I have no doubt in the great work you put in to take Yahoo to a whole new platform. In 2007 when you took the responsibility as a CEO of the org since then there has been significant progress and innovation which wasn’t possible without your directions… you along with Mr Filo gave web a whole new definition.

Wish you all the luck for future endeavors… I know for sure you will always bleed purple

AGORACOM - George | November 18th, 2008 at 9:48 pm

Jerry, we’ve been content partners on Yahoo Finance for a couple of years now. As a good partner, I have to be honest and tell you that I’ve watched YF slide into mediocrity due to turnover and lack of direction from a qualified Finance leader.

You have to find a way to stabilize this vital channel by putting the right people and resources in place. If you would like further details of our experience, let me know.

Regards,
George
Founder
Agoracom.com

Happy Shareholder | November 18th, 2008 at 11:16 pm

No, that’s not a joke. But then I only bought the stock after you called Yahoo! a consumer brand. I thought, at last the CEO has defined what Yahoo! is. A brand that people love, but shareholders love to hate.

Now you’re going, which I can understand if you don’t like the job, I’m worried they’re going to appoint some bean counter who doesn’t get that the web is about the users, not the advertisers.

Make the people happy and everything else falls into place.

Shawn | November 18th, 2008 at 11:25 pm

Sorry to hear that you are stepping down from Yahoo Mr. Yang. I am sure Yahoo will not be the last time that we ever hear about your involvement with the internet.

Best Wishes,
S

Tinh | November 19th, 2008 at 12:17 am

Good luck to you and I hope to see your return soon

Mr Evil | November 19th, 2008 at 1:27 am

Thank you for standing against Ballmer and not selling Yahoo to Microsoft. The deal would have been a disaster. For Microsoft.

Stan | November 19th, 2008 at 2:53 am

Thanks for the job.

Patrick Peterson | November 19th, 2008 at 3:28 am

Mr. Yang,

The only recommendation I would make to you is slowly disengage yourself from Yahoo.

Life is too short. You will be amazed at what else you can do on this planet… after you take 6 months regenerating the batteries and changing your perspective.

The same thing happened to me but only with $30M… But believe me this will be a personal mistake to stay involved long term in Yahoo.

Best,
Patrick

Jared Bradford | November 19th, 2008 at 4:05 am

You changed the world. I’m an old-time user, and you set the bar for what much of the Internet had to follow. Thanks for your vision. Go have fun.

Henry | November 19th, 2008 at 6:59 am

Yahoo you need to change. Your paid searches are hard to use and opaque…we still use them but prefer google. We used to use your Merchant Solutions, but we left after our site went down a 7th time — the last time being Cyber Monday. We love our new provider (don’t think this is the appropriate forum to mention who, though).

I hope you guys are serious about turning over a new leaf…start with your customers who left, like me.

Lataz | November 19th, 2008 at 7:51 am

I remember ‘Jerry and David’s Guide to the World Wide Web’

We are a world away from that…

Good Luck Jerry.

Lataz

Joel Schnebelt | November 19th, 2008 at 9:11 am

Jerry,

thanks for creating an environment that helps others, informs them, and makes them wanting to come back for more.

Yahoo has helped me in many ways; I get my email, I see updated news and videos and I stay informed with the World.

I hope that I can one day work for Yahoo.

All the best, Joel

dmatias | November 19th, 2008 at 11:37 am

No price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.

Best of wishes!
Good luck Jerry

Mark Sigal | November 19th, 2008 at 12:28 pm

Jerry, the biggest suggestion that I can make for Yahoo (ala Reagan) is “Tear down those walls, Mr. Yang.” Yahoo has an incredible amount of user and usage data, and most people utilize 2-4 Yahoo services so why can’t Yahoo provide me a 1+1=3 user experience?

Instead, it’s a bunch of information silos (which I am guessing is a by-product of the corporate structure), when Yahoo is naturally positioned to connect me with like minds, and content and conversations of interest.

Give me one profile that maps to all of my information flows across Mail, News, Finance, Games, Groups, etc. and make as much of that usage data (new, popular, favorited, recent, etc.) transparent so I am rewarded for making Yahoo my primary PERSISTENT sandbox.

Here’s some fodder for this concept in a post I wrote called:

Envisioning the Social Map-lication
http://thenetworkgarden.com/weblog/2008/04/envisioning-the.html

Check it out if interested.

p.s. I get that Yahoo has a bunch of piecemeal initiatives in this area, but would argue that they are still the tail, not the dog. Skunkworks it with a small group to prove it out.

Good luck.

Mark

Srivastav Sethupathy | November 19th, 2008 at 3:16 pm

You will always have Lord Ganesha’s blessings!
It has been a challenging year, but I’m sure, Yahoo will come out!

Om Ganeshaya Namahah!

afewtips.com | November 19th, 2008 at 3:34 pm

You should be (and I’m sure you are) very proud of all that you have delivered to the world.

It’s kinda like you need to allow your student to now go to college after being home schooled for so long.

They have the tools and now they need a new perspective.

Love Yahoo - I’m buying quality at a discount.

Xiuyao | November 19th, 2008 at 4:32 pm

Jerry, good fight for the past one year! I believe you and believe Yahoo!.

Best Wishes,

–Xiuyao

Outdoors videos | November 19th, 2008 at 11:18 pm

Thank you for being an inspiration to all of us out there who are trying to make something work online. :) I appreciate what you have done for the internet, and those trying to make their little place in it. Thanks again, and have a good one!

dave p | November 20th, 2008 at 10:04 am

Sigue adelante Jerry, te deseo mucha suerte en el nuevo cargo que tendrás en Y! y espero que la companía salga pronto a flote…
I love you Yahoo!

Pravin | November 20th, 2008 at 10:08 pm

Mr. Yang, as you have taken the bold decision, I hope there should be no looking back.

I’m sure you will excel in whatever you do in the future. All the very best.

Regards

Pravin S.

T. Roberts | November 21st, 2008 at 10:28 am

Incredible. I remember the day I heard the news that Yahoo was in talks with Microsoft and how my stomach turned inside out, knowing what that merger would do. I was mortified. I ran to my computer and sent a message to you to stay away from that conglomerate corporation, they will infect and disease all of us whom consider Yahoo one of the friendliest internet companies in the world. I am equally mortified to know that Yahoo’s shareholders are so greedy that they would make the mistake to enhance there pocketbooks alone without realizing that so many users would just abandon yahoo immediately if such a thing were to happen.

Mr. Yang, you did the right thing. I only hope that your successor will understand and pay tribute to Yahoo users as you did. Shame on those shareholders for acting with such black hearts. It’s disgusting how they behave sometimes.

Sammy Ashouri | November 22nd, 2008 at 6:32 am

I’m extremely interested to see where Yahoo! ends up in a year. I’m even considering buying a gripload of shares, but still a bit hesitant due to the big G.

Still doing my research, however. Best of luck.

Sammy Ashouri
http://www.fka200.com

stef | November 22nd, 2008 at 11:21 am

much respect, yahoo was and is still a great company. you do alot for the net and more companies need to be like yours.

gag | November 23rd, 2008 at 4:03 am

wow

from CEO back to being a brand ambassador for one of the biggest brands online.

as i have told before its being busy doing something you love is what that matters in life.

wishing you quality time mixed with fun in your personal life and loads of decisions making as ambassador in your professional life. Be busy n rock and roll, enjoy.

Jay Pandey | November 23rd, 2008 at 3:08 pm

Mr. Yang, Good luck. But please make sure yahoo never…ever…never…goes into Microsoft’s hand. Just save the world loosing something really amazing thing on web. cheers!

ton | November 24th, 2008 at 12:26 pm

give yahoo to MICROSOFT maybe they will do something about the damn bots
seem you dont care

John | November 25th, 2008 at 2:56 pm

To the incoming CEO…I’d say that instead of selling the company, why not fix/improve it, and make it better? Apple was in much worse shape than Yahoo less than ten years ago, and look what Steve Jobs was able to achieve!

design | November 27th, 2008 at 12:56 am

The new guy might bring the breath of fresh air Yahoo needs. Like most large companies they have a little trouble in making quick changes that most companies need today, especially on the Internet. AOL anyone?

Tom Andries | November 29th, 2008 at 7:18 am

Jerry, you did a great job! Yahoo! is a profitable company an internet monument and you got loads of things moving at Yahoo!

The media as usual like extremes, beating their one-time heroes down… but they’ll love a huge comeback story when Yahoo! profits start growing again…

I think you did a GREAT job!

Tekfirm | December 4th, 2008 at 8:46 pm

Good luck ,

at least you know when you should stop .

Keep it up ;)