Day One for Marissa: Will disappointed Levinsohn quit Yahoo?
Ross Levinsohn looks set to leave Yahoo following the surprise appointment of Marissa Meyer from Google to the CEO slot - a job that many insiders thought was his after a sterling performance in the two months after Scott Thompson left.
Ross Levinsohn: passed over
Meyer, 37, who has revealed that she is expecting her first baby in October, starts her new job today and will be visiting the office in Sunnyvale, California.. She said she had "reached out" to Levinsohn but couldn't say if he would be staying . She has also said she is planning a short maternity leave.
The Wall Street Journal said Levinsohn couldn't be reached for comment.The New York Times said he wasn't available for interview.
Some employees on Yahoo's various Web services, who have been following a new strategy initiated by Levinsohn, were said to be disappointed at the prospect of new upheaval .
Jordan Rohan, a securities analyst at Stifel Nicolaus, told the New York Times he was surprised Yahoo’s board had chosen Mayer over Levinsohn.
“I’m taking a wait-and-see approach,” he said . “She certainly has the intellect. She certainly has the desire, the drive and the credibility. But I’m not sure if the strategic direction of Yahoo is going to change from what Ross would have articulated.”