Yahoo Pinches Google Exec For Revenue Boost

Troubled Internet firm Yahoo is looking to boost its coffers as it today announced it had recruited the services of a Google executive as its chief revenue officer.

Michael Barrett, who was at Google after the company’s acquisition of advertising tech start-up Admeld in 2011, will be in charge of bringing in ad revenue, leading divisions across the globe for Yahoo.

“Michael Barrett is regarded as one of the most successful and influential executives in media and technology, and I am thrilled to have him join Yahoo in this critical role,” said Ross Levinsohn, interim chief executive officer. “I am confident that his deep industry experience and relationships will help us drive our strategic vision, taking Yahoo!’s industry-leading position to the next level.”

Life after Thompson

Barrett will take on the role in early July and will report directly to Levinsohn. He has previously worked as chief revenue officer at Fox Interactive Media, where he worked on big name sites including MySpace. Barrett has also worked at AOL and Disney.

“Yahoo is one of the largest and most iconic Internet companies in the world,” Barrett said. “I am grateful for this opportunity to work with Ross and a group of immensely talented and energised people, all focused on driving Yahoo’s leadership and strategic position on a global basis. I am looking forward to contributing everything I can to that effort.”

Yahoo is currently undergoing a major transition, which was supposed to have been led by Scott Thompson, who was hired in January, only to be shown the door just four months later later. It emerged Thompson, the former CEO of PayPal, did not earn a 1979 computer science degree as he had claimed on his CV.

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