The company is expected to announce Friday the resignations of three high-ranking executives, the most buzz-worthy being Hilary Schneider, head of operations for the Americas, according to a report on All Things Digital's website, which quoted anonymous sources close to the developments.
The other executives reported to be on their way out were David Ko, head of U.S. audience, and Jimmy Pitaro, vice president for media.
Yahoo did not return phone calls from the Mercury News.
Sources told All Things Digital that Schneider, who's in charge of media and advertising sales at the online giant, has wanted to bolt from Yahoo for some time, but was persuaded to stay by CEO Carol Bartz. Schneider was expected to stay at Yahoo while the Sunnyvale Internet giant finds a replacement. Heidrick & Struggles had already been headhunting candidates for her job in recent weeks, according to published reports.
There was much speculation online about the reasons for Ko's departure. He works directly for Schneider, and sources told the website that much of the work being done under him will be moved to Chief Product Officer Blake Irving. Bartz brought Irving on several months ago and he in turn has hired many former colleagues from Microsoft to top positions at the company.
The continued shake-up comes just weeks after another executive, senior vice president for
advertising products David Ku, said he was leaving Yahoo after working for the company since 2002. The departures are focusing attention on Bartz's management style. Known as a blunt leader who has aggressively cut costs since coming on board in early 2009, she was hired to clean up Yahoo in the tumultuous days following the failed takeover attempt by Microsoft.
While the exodus continues, Yahoo's stock price has remained fairly flat.
