IP Democracy: Yahoo!'s Revival Under Semel

Richard Siklos has a puff-piece of sorts in Sunday’s New York Times about Yahoo!’s CEO Terry Semel — I say “of sorts” because while the piece is a glowing recap of how Semel has turned around Yahoo!, it’s also quite accurate.

The article touches on the skepticism, almost derision, that the traditional media world evinced when Semel, the former chief of Warner Brothers studio, took over the top slot at a tumbling Yahoo in 2001. But under Semel’s disarming but shrewd management, the company’s revenues have increased more than five-fold and Yahoo! now has a market cap worth over $50 billion, putting it on par with Disney…after Disney closes its Pixar deal.

Anybody who has seen Semel speak at conferences or heard his talks during earnings and investor calls already knows that he’s a mighty capable media captain who is a seriously quick study and smart decision-maker. Not much new in this article, but it’s nice that Semel gets this valentine.

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on January 28, 2006 11:22 PM to IP Democracy