There’s a reason boards of directors hire (alleged) superstars as CEOs — they can attract a constellation around them. Case in point: Struggling search engine Yahoo said Monday it has persuaded Henrique de Castro to join the company as chief operating officer.
De Castro abandoned Google, where he was a vice-president, to join former Googler and now Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer. When he starts the new post in January he’ll be responsible for strategic and operational management of Yahoo!’s sales, operations, media and business development worldwide.
As this story in SiliconValley.com notes, Mayer tweeted that the announcement came on her first day back
after giving birth.
This is partly why companies in trouble go for people like Mayer, who are seen as next-generation leaders. Why not join a company with a CEO like that? Especially, as news reports state, if the money is good. It remains to be seen if talent comes with strategic insight to save Yahoo.
De Castro has been vice-president of Google’s worldwide partner business solutions group, where he was responsible for advertising platforms and services for Google’s publisher and commerce partners, and led Google’s media, mobile and platforms organization. He’s also managed sales and business development operations across Western Europe at Dell Corp. and been a consultant at McKinsey & Company.