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Ballmer Prepares to Go Hostile: Names 'Very Strategic' Slate
Posted Apr 24, 2008 10:30am EDT by Aaron Task in Investing, Internet, Venture Capital, M and A, IPOsWith Steve Ballmer's deadline for going hostile rapidly approaching, Microsoft has named a slate of directors to potentially supplant Yahoo's current board.
The list has 10 nominees and three alternates, says The Wall Street Journal, and includes:
- John Chapple, former Nextel Partners CEO
- Edward Meyer, former Grey Global Group CEO
- Jaynie Studenmund, former chief operating officer of Overture Services (acquired by Yahoo in 2003)
- Vanessa Wittman, former Adelphia Communications Corp. CFO
The slate is not exactly a "who's who" of Silicon Valley titans but is a "very strategic slate," says David Kirkpatrick, senior editor, Internet and technology at Fortune.
Microsoft's slate is "exactly the kind of people Yahoo needs on its board," Kirkpatrick says, citing their experience in four key areas: wireless (Chapple), mass market advertising (Meyer), Internet search advertising (Studenmund), and broadband (Wittman).
Generally speaking, Kirkpatrick believes the Microsoft-Yahoo combination makes sense and that Microsoft has the marketing and financial muscle to improve Yahoo's best properties. Yahoo employees "should not fear Microsoft," he says, while acknowledging putting the two huge companies together will not be easy or painless.
Amid today's reports that Microsoft employees oppose the deal (WSJ) and that Microsoft may yet sweeten its bid (NY Post), Kirkpatrick believes Ballmer will ultimately capture his prey -- even if he has to go hostile to do it.
27 Comments
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday April 24, 2008 11:00AM EDT
As a Microsoft shareholder, I don't believe the Yahoo deal is in our best interest. Both MSFT and YHOO search and on-line advertising businesses are struggling, obviously neither have the DNA for run-away success in this field. Putting these two together isn't likely to solve this problem, its like breeding two horses with serious genetic diseases and expecting to get a Triple Crown winner. Microsoft, invest the money in what you do best instead.
dwight - Thursday April 24, 2008 11:06AM EDT
the new company MY. maybe alibaba would also like this name. who knows
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday April 24, 2008 11:13AM EDT
Well done! Let's cheer up Corporate America amid the subprime crisis
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday April 24, 2008 11:15AM EDT
============== Microsoft, invest the money in what you do best instead ============== Which is???? Create Vista?
Joseph - Thursday April 24, 2008 11:37AM EDT
Boy I am glad that my maintenance on Desktop products is going in the toilet, thanks Steve, Bill, Ray!
RobertD - Thursday April 24, 2008 11:38AM EDT
Microsoft will do for Yahoo what it has done for the rest its products - a slow and mediocre slide into oblivion. If 'dead money' is your thing, invest in Softy.
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday April 24, 2008 11:49AM EDT
Time to invest in AAPL and GOOG!
Nathan K - Thursday April 24, 2008 11:50AM EDT
i've been a loyal yahoo user for over 10 years now, if microsoft buys yahoo, i'll move to google entirely. google already has a better email platform with a much better spam filter, and google has made giant advances on their financial site. google is just blowing out the competition
phil - Thursday April 24, 2008 11:50AM EDT
oh boy...CFO of adelphia...what a pick.!!!...look what happened to adelphia two years ago....ah...the dream team....way to go...
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday April 24, 2008 12:05PM EDT
No way, can Microsoft buy Yahoo. I do not buy Microsoft say, so Microsoft is bluffing. Do those replacement directors have any or how many shares do they hold in Yahoo. Yang is right, to keep Yahoo far away from Microsoft.
Bulls VS Bears - Thursday April 24, 2008 12:22PM EDT
I don't believe the deal is going to happen long microsoft or you will regret
PeterM - Thursday April 24, 2008 12:45PM EDT
As a long time Yahoo user, I will definitely switch to Google. I really really don't need the blue screen of death in my online work.
rancholasuvas - Thursday April 24, 2008 12:46PM EDT
China has already said no with respect to alibaba with MSFT. There goes the newly counted added value.
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday April 24, 2008 12:47PM EDT
AAPL & GOOG will kick their ...
hot4bearmen - Thursday April 24, 2008 12:51PM EDT
Time to fully convert to Linux and Google. MicroSux will ruin the best things left about yahoo (such as Yahoo Messenger). The only thing left that I use that makes me start up my Windows machine. Hopefully yahoo will update it's Linux version of Messenger before they get destroyed by MicroSux.
hot4bearmen - Thursday April 24, 2008 12:53PM EDT
Time to fully convert to Linux and Google. MicroSux will ruin the best things left about yahoo (such as Yahoo Messenger). The only thing left that I use that makes me start up my Windows machine. Hopefully yahoo will update it's Linux version of Messenger before they get destroyed by MicroSux.
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lio - Thursday April 24, 2008 10:46AM EDT
GO BALMER !!!!