Marketing Pilgrim

I doubt that anyone (aside from maybe Sue Decker, the Yahoo President who announced her resignation in the official announcement of the new CEO) envies Yahoo’s new CEO, Carol Bartz. It’s going to take more than just business acumen to turn around the company’s failing fortunes—but does Bartz have what it takes?

Popular opinion is divided so far. Henry Blodget is pretty excited about her take-charge attitude and her track record of turning a failing company around.

The more we learn about Carol, the less she seems like the safe choice and the more she seems like the smart choice. We LOVED her attitude on yesterday’s short introductory conference call:

In Yahoo’s conference call this afternoon, she lectured everyone sternly to give Yahoo some “friggin’ breathing room” and also noted that the company “frankly, could use a little management.” (Swisher)

You go, girl.

John Paczkowski of All Things Digital calls Bartz “The ALL CAPS CEO” (as opposed to Jerry Yang, the “ceo”), but notes that some feel she doesn’t have enough experience with consumers or advertising.

Reuters says she lacks Web and deal-making experience.

Bartz, however, does not have an established reputation as a deal-maker and Yahoo investors regarded her appointment skeptically, with shares of the Internet search and advertising company dropping more than 3 percent during the trading day. . .

She is credited with increasing Autodesk’s revenue from $285 million to $1.5 billion during her 14-year tenure, as well as diversifying its business. Bartz, 60, built the company by buying small and medium-sized businesses, including a $444 million buyout of Discreet Logic in 1999.

“She seems to me to be more of a builder than a buyer-and-flipper,” Davis said. “I’m sure that plenty of people wanted to buy Autodesk over the years.”

Analysts lauded her for being a dextrous, capable and committed executive, but said that without any experience in the Internet sector, she would likely find it daunting to turn around Yahoo, which is a distant second to Google Inc in the search advertising market.

Reuters appears to look at her appointment as a sign that Yahoo will not be selling to Microsoft, instead opting to try to turn the company around on its own (and there seems to be some implication that this is a bad thing).

Now, none of us can predict the future, but from what we know about Carol Bartz, what do you think the new CEO means for Yahoo’s future?

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