As expected Ross Levinsohn is leaving Yahoo following the appointment of former Google executive Marissa Mayer as CEO.
Levinsohn joined the struggling Internet company in 2010 as the global head of media, and stepped into the role of interim CEO earlier this year when Scott Thompson left following the discovery of discrepancies in his CV.
Levinsohn was one of the favourites to get the top job but after being overlooked in favour of Mayer his departure was always on the cards. In a brief statement, the Yahoo board confirmed Levinsohn’s departure. "Ross has done a terrific job during his time at Yahoo," the statement said. "We wish him all the best."
Prior to joining Yahoo he was managing director of investment firm Fuse Capital and also had a long spell as president of Fox Interactive Media at News Corp.
According to AllThingsD, Marissa Mayer told Yahoo employees about Levinsohn’s departure in an email.
"Ross has been an important and powerful contributor at Yahoo since he joined in 2010," she wrote. "During May and June, Ross stepped into an incredibly tough role as interim CEO and did a terrific job — he really helped keep the company moving, closed important deals, and assembled a very talented team. I am very grateful to Ross for his leadership and work throughout his tenure at Yahoo. His contributions will be missed."
Levinsohn added: "It has been an incredible journey for me and I could not be prouder of what we accomplished over the past few years helping define Yahoo as a leader in digital media and advertising."
"Yahoo is an amazing brand and company, and I leave knowing we did all we could to help inform and entertain more than 700 million users each month," Levinsohn’s note said. "Leading this company has been one of the best experiences of my career, but it is time for me to look for the next challenge."
Mayer joined Yahoo in a surprise move in early July. She was one of Google’s first ever employees and served the search giant for 13 years.
