Yahoo manager who spoke up left in limbo

Terry Semel’s shake-up has put the fate of many senior Yahoo managers in question.

They include the man who wrote a leaked memo that drew public attention to the company’s internal problems.

Brad Garlinghouse, whose “Peanut Butter Manifesto” criticised Yahoo for spreading itself too thinly, is one of several senior product managers left in limbo by Mr Semel’s promise to reorganise roles, partly to bring in fresh talent.

Mr Semel said: “I don’t fault people for speaking up, it’s part of our culture. He’s a very valued employee.”

However, Mr Semel declined to say what senior role, if any, Mr Garlinghouse would have in the new organisation.

Some of Mr Garlinghouse’s responsibilities have been handed to another executive whose long-term role may also be in doubt. Jeff Weiner, head of Yahoo’s search engine and one of Mr Semel’s top lieutenants, was apparently passed over for the top job in the new audiences division: the company plans to recruit an external candidate.

Mr Weiner will instead be responsible for a broader range of the products that will make up the division, including “social media”. Mr Semel’s decision to single Mr Weiner out for special mention appeared to suggest he wanted to keep him at Yahoo.