Marissa Mayer challenges ‘gender-charged reporting’ of $5bn Yahoo sale
Marissa Mayer, Yahoo’s chief executive officer, has hit out at ‘gender-charged reporting’ following the sale of its core internet business to Verizon for $4.83bn.
Speaking to the Financial Times Mayer said: “I’ve tried to be gender-blind and believe tech is a gender-neutral zone but do think there has been gender-charged reporting.
“We all see the things that only plague women leaders, like articles that focus on their appearance, like Hillary Clinton sporting a new pantsuit. I think all women are aware of that, but I had hoped in 2015 and 2016 that I would see fewer articles like that. It’s a shame”
Verizon intends to merge the business with AOL, bought last year for $4.4bn, as it seeks to carve out a digital presence whilst Yahoo itself will be left as a holding company managing a 15 per cent stake in Alibaba and 35.5 per cent slice of Yahoo Japan.
Meyer parachuted into Yahoo in July 2012 as a high-flying Google executive with ambitious plans to turn the business around, an ambition which ultimately proved unsuccessful.