resignation

Three founding execs depart Demand Media

Three founding executives at Demand Media announced their resignations today after six years with the content farm.

Larry Fitzgibbon, Joe Perez, and Steven Kydd, who were all executive vice presidents, are leaving the company they helped create, a company representative told CNET, confirming a story first reported by PaidContent.

Fitzgibbon oversaw international operations, while Perez was in charge of product and Kydd handled video. Michael Blend, Demand Media's executive vice president of Media & Marketplace for the company, will assume most of their duties.

A company representative said their simultaneous departures were merely a coincidence.

"The three of … Read more

RIM's leadership shakeup too little, too late?

commentary This may not have been the change people were looking for at Research In Motion.

RIM announced late tonight that its two CEOs, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, are both out of the company. Taking over is Chief Operating Officer Thorsten Heins, a five-year RIM executive said to have been their heir apparent.

My initial impression on Lazaridis and Balsillie getting the boot? Finally. Few other CEOs would be around after a shepherding a company through the year RIM has had. Throughout 2011, RIM has seen its stock value plunge by more than 75 percent, fumbled the introduction of … Read more

Yahoo announces Yang's resignation (statement)

Here's the full text of Yahoo's press release announcing co-founder Jerry Yang's resignation:

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--Yahoo! Inc., the premier digital media company, today announced that Jerry Yang has resigned from its Board of Directors and all other positions with the company, effective today. In addition, Yang resigned from the Boards of Yahoo Japan Corporation and Alibaba Group Holding Limited, effective today.

In a letter to the Yahoo! Board Chairman Roy Bostock, Yang wrote:

My time at Yahoo!, from its founding to the present, has encompassed some of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of my life. However, … Read more

Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang resigns from Web giant

Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang has relinquished his board seat and "all other positions" with the beleaguered Web giant, the company announced this afternoon.

Two weeks ago, the company announced a new chief executive, Scott Thompson, though it's unclear if Yang's departure is related to that hire.

In a press release, Yang praised Thompson and said only that it is time for him to move on.

"The time has come for me to pursue other interests outside of Yahoo," Yang said in a statement. "As I leave the company I co-founded nearly 17 years … Read more

Steve Jobs leaves Apple's helm (week in review)

Steve Jobs stunned the tech world by announcing he had stepped down from the helm of the iconic company he co-founded 35 years ago.

Jobs, who has been dogged by severe health problems that forced him to take three leaves of absence from Apple in recent years, announced his resignation as chief executive officer on Wednesday. His place at the top of the company will be taken by Tim Cook, previously Apple's chief operating officer.

"I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's … Read more

What will Jobs do as Apple's chairman?

For most companies, the chief executive serves as a quarterback, ensuring the plays are run correctly, while the chairman is the coach, providing the bigger-picture view.

Or, for the geeks out there, the CEO is Luke Skywalker to the chairman's Yoda.

It's unclear what Steve Jobs' role will exactly be as chairman. The Star Wars analogy may be apt in that Jobs could dispense his sagely advice to CEO Tim Cook. Or the chairman position could be the first step to his eventual departure from the company.

The role of chairman has evolved over the past few years, … Read more

Apple's product pipeline looks intact

Apple will keep cranking out a steady stream of "magical products" for the next few years despite the loss of Steve Jobs as chief executive.

Jobs has assembled a massive machine that shows little signs of slowing down. The Cupertino, Calif., company's product pipeline appears to be intact for the next several years, analysts say. In addition, Apple has a strong management team to guide those devices to market.

"Executives change, everything else stays the same," Canaccord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkley said in a research note.

Jobs announced his resignation yesterday, but was simultaneously … Read more

Tech leaders hail Apple's Jobs as an industry 'hero'

While many consumers today were imagining an Apple without Steve Jobs, industry leaders were publicly recognizing him for changing the face of personal computing and inspiring next-level gadget design.

Even if you don't use a Macintosh, iPhone, iPod, or iPad, the electronics you use have no doubt been influenced by products developed under Jobs' prolific reign as chief executive of Apple.

Shortly after Jobs announced today that he was resigning as Apple CEO, Bob Metcalfe, co-inventor of Ethernet and founder of 3Com, wrote in a tweet that Jobs was "my hero."

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who initially left his company after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, wrote on Twitter that he wished Jobs the best "as he faces his health challenges" and called Jobs "one of one of the greatest innovators of our industry."

Randall Stephenson, CEO of AT&T, said in an e-mail statement: "Steve is one of the industry's most gifted entrepreneurs, visionaries and creative minds, and has been one of AT&T's closest business partners for several years. We celebrate his accomplishments and wish him all the best. And we look forward to continuing to collaborate with Tim Cook and his team in enabling innovation in the mobile ecosystem."

Lowell McAdam, CEO of rival carrier Verizon, also weighed in via e-mail: "Steve Jobs changed wireless forever. He took our already vibrant sector, and with laser focus, injected compelling new competitive aspects to customer choice. Steve has been a fierce competitor, a dedicated strategic partner, and a visionary who has improved peoples' lives. Tim Cook will make an excellent CEO, continuing the traditions and performance culture Steve instilled at Apple. We look forward to building on the strong foundation Steve helped lay between Apple and Verizon." … Read more

Text of Apple's press release on Jobs' resignation

Editors' note: Apple announced today that Steve Jobs has resigned as chief executive officer, and the board has named Tim Cook, previously Apple's chief operating officer, as the company's new CEO. Jobs has been elected chairman of the board, the company said, and Cook will join the board, effective immediately.

Below, the text of Apple's press release on Steve Jobs' resignation:

CUPERTINO, California--August 24, 2011--Apple's Board of Directors today announced that Steve Jobs has resigned as Chief Executive Officer, and the Board has named Tim Cook, previously Apple's Chief Operating Officer, as the company's … Read more