Yahoo interim CEO may need to gear up to be permanent CEO
The weakened Web giant is looking to make a fresh start, leaving behind any mention of "resumegate." It already might be pointing to interim CEO Ross Levinsohn to be the permanent chief.
With Scott Thompson's vacated chair still warm, there's already chatter about Yahoo's next permanent CEO. In a companywide meeting today, Yahoo's new chairman, Fred Amoroso, told the staff that he wanted the new interim chief executive, Ross Levinsohn, to become the company's permanent CEO, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Thompson resigned as Yahoo's CEO yesterday, after his position became untenable because of a scandal involving a false claim to a computer science degree. Levinsohn, 48, was the company's executive vice president before taking over as interim CEO yesterday. Before Yahoo, Levinsohn worked for Rupert Murdoch as head of Fox Interactive.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Levinsohn told Yahoo staff during the meeting today that there wouldn't be any major changes regarding company reorganization and that "we gotta move on."
Levinsohn was also said to have referenced a scene from Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather" comparing how Yahoo must be feeling after its high dose of controversy the past few weeks, according to All Things D. "This weekend was like that scene from 'The Godfather' -- 'They hit 'em with five shots, and he's still alive!'" he reportedly said.
According to All Things D, employees also seemed generally positive about Levinsohn taking over as interim CEO. However, he still isn't a shoe-in as permanent CEO. Most likely there will still be a CEO search committee.