6 ms·

I've met and interviewed Scott several times over the course of my career. He is the anti-Carol Bartz. He is extremely likeable, approachable. He's a consensus

I've met and interviewed Scott several times over the course of my career. He is the anti-Carol Bartz. He is extremely likeable, approachable. He's a consensus-builder, not a bomb thrower. And he did double PayPal's user base and revenue to 100+ million and $4+ billion respectively. Yahooers will like this guy. He's sharp. He's the right man for the job.

tlack 15y ago
That's great news. Yahoo deserves better than the shitty luck they've had lately with their leadership. But critically, does he have any experience on the media and publishing end of things? Selling impressions is a lot different than what he was doing at Paypal.
xal 15y ago
He is one of the nicest people in the valley, unbelievably passionate and aware. He used to be the CTO so he is also a strong technical person. It's a great fit.
steve8918 15y ago
I have no opinions either way on Scott Thompson. But a "consensus-builder" is not something that Yahoo needs right now. They are in deep trouble, and they need someone that is willing to drag them, kicking-and-screaming if need be, into a better position. This requires vision and balls, and the willingness to gut the layers and layers of middle management that diluted every single good idea Yahoo had. They also need to completely eradicate the board they have at Yahoo and get some real tech people, not fat cats with no vision, suckling off the teats of Yahoo shareholders. I liked Carol Bartz because they needed someone to cut through the BS within Yahoo, but unfortunately she just wasn't right in her vision. I personally would have given her another couple more years.
- schraeds 15y ago
  After slashing R&D and giving Microsoft the keys to the kingdom (search) you want to give her more time to gut Yahoo? No way. And I don't take being a consensus builder means lacking vision, it means you get the team on board as opposed to charging ahead regardless of what people think. A consensus builder sells their team on the vision, then executes.
- samstave 15y ago
  >I personally would have given her another couple more years. Wait, you state that Yahoo needs someone with vision and balls, then you say you'd have given CB a couple more years right after saying her vision was no right??? Nobody is addressing the real issue: Yahoo needs to build something innovative that people want to use, not just mee-too services. I agree with what you say about the board. Look at Google, Apple and too a certain degree even facebook, you have very very technical/visionary leaders -- Yahoo seems to be trying to solve a technical abyss with traditional business strategies.

tlack 15y ago

That's great news. Yahoo deserves better than the shitty luck they've had lately with their leadership. But critically, does he have any experience on the media and publishing end of things? Selling impressions is a lot different than what he was doing at Paypal.

xal 15y ago

He is one of the nicest people in the valley, unbelievably passionate and aware. He used to be the CTO so he is also a strong technical person. It's a great fit.

steve8918 15y ago

I have no opinions either way on Scott Thompson. But a "consensus-builder" is not something that Yahoo needs right now. They are in deep trouble, and they need someone that is willing to drag them, kicking-and-screaming if need be, into a better position. This requires vision and balls, and the willingness to gut the layers and layers of middle management that diluted every single good idea Yahoo had. They also need to completely eradicate the board they have at Yahoo and get some real tech people, not fat cats with no vision, suckling off the teats of Yahoo shareholders. I liked Carol Bartz because they needed someone to cut through the BS within Yahoo, but unfortunately she just wasn't right in her vision. I personally would have given her another couple more years.

schraeds 15y ago
After slashing R&D and giving Microsoft the keys to the kingdom (search) you want to give her more time to gut Yahoo? No way. And I don't take being a consensus builder means lacking vision, it means you get the team on board as opposed to charging ahead regardless of what people think. A consensus builder sells their team on the vision, then executes.
samstave 15y ago
>I personally would have given her another couple more years. Wait, you state that Yahoo needs someone with vision and balls, then you say you'd have given CB a couple more years right after saying her vision was no right??? Nobody is addressing the real issue: Yahoo needs to build something innovative that people want to use, not just mee-too services. I agree with what you say about the board. Look at Google, Apple and too a certain degree even facebook, you have very very technical/visionary leaders -- Yahoo seems to be trying to solve a technical abyss with traditional business strategies.