Microsoft Targets Yahoo’s Jerry Yang

The on-again off-again on-again acquisition of Yahoo by Microsoft took a decidedly hostile turn. Microsoft has set conditions that include having the Yahoo board of director’s tossed:

“Microsoft set the stage for a full-blown battle to overthrow Yahoo’s board of directors on Monday when it declared it was interested in reopening talks to buy all or part of the internet company – but only if a new board was appointed first.

The intervention, less than a month before Yahoo’s annual meeting, gives backing to the flagging efforts of activist investor Carl Icahn to unseat Jerry Yang, Yahoo’s chief executive, and the rest of the board that failed to reach agreement on Microsoft’s earlier takeover offer.”

link: Microsoft steps up battle over Yahoo board

It seems that one of the prime targets of this condition is Jerry Yang, the co-founder and CEO of Yahoo. Microsoft seems to want to eliminate Jerry Yang from future negotiations. No one has a greater personal and professional interest in Yahoo success than Jerry Yang.

This latest Microsoft condition effectively nullifies any spirit of co-operation. It is questionable whether eliminating Jerry Yang from the process and the guidance of the company is in the long term best interest of Yahoo, whether it is acquired by Microsoft or not. One can’t help but wonder if this latest gambit is motivated by ego on Microsoft’s part. Microsoft was not successful in its preliminary efforts to take over Yahoo. Now it seems that this extends further than business. It has become personal and acrimonious.

Catherine Forsythe