Ex-Google Mayer in at Yahoo!

YAHOO’S NEXT: Former Google exec Marissa Mayer has been named President/CEO and Board Member for Yahoo! Mayer was most recently responsible for Local, Maps and Location Services for Google, which includes Google Maps, Google Earth, Zagat, Street View and local search for desktop and mobile. She joined Google in 1999 as its 20th employee and led efforts for many of its most recognizable products, including the development of its flagship search product and homepage for over a decade. Mayer managed some of Google’s most successful innovations, launching more than 100 features and products including image, book and product search, toolbar, iGoogle, Google News, and Gmail—creating much of the “look and feel” of the Google user experience. The news sent Yahoo shares up about 2% in after-market trading. The search engine has been struggling to find its place in the Internet advertising universe against Google and Facebook and other content providers, with its stock losing about 41% of its value over the last five years. Last year, the company ousted Carol Bartz from the top job. Her successor, Scott Thompson, was forced out in May after a dissident shareholder disclosed that he had exaggerated his college credentials. (7/16p)