CRM News: Boardroom

Muddy Road Ahead for Yahoo?
May 14, 2012

Embattled Yahoo has a new interim chief executive. It announced Sunday that Ross Levinsohn, the company's global media leader, would take over as interim CEO following Scott Thompson's departure. Thompson's exit comes amid controversy over an unearned computer science college degree listed on his resume. Also leaving the company are several board members.

Facebook's Face-Melting Fast European Network
May 14, 2012

Today in international tech news: Ahead of its upcoming IPO, Facebook taps a Swedish telecommunications company to build and operate a massive pan-European optical network. Elsewhere, Change.org launches a UK platform, Apple decides to drop "4G" from the third-generation iPad, and Facebook cofounder Eduardo Saverin renounces his U.S. citizenship.

The Thompson Crisis: Sloppy Whopper or Poor Career Personal Hygiene?
May 11, 2012

It's been more than a week since Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson's resume blew up in his face, and by the looks of things, the Yahoo board isn't bothered by it. They're not bothered enough to fire the guy, anyway. Thompson's still in charge at Yahoo, and a week's worth of morale-melting embarrassment and haranguing from Dan Loeb haven't been enough to change that.

Yahoo Nail-Biting Could Lead to Bloodletting
May 09, 2012

The last seven days have no doubt felt surreal for executives and board members at Yahoo. It was a week ago that shareholder Daniel Loeb, CEO of hedge fund Third Point, revealed that Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson's educational credentials included a computer science bachelor's degree he never earned, spurring demands for the company to take action.

Loeb Leans Harder on Yahoo
May 07, 2012

Dan Loeb is not letting up the pressure on Yahoo, its board of directors or, most certainly, its CEO, Scott Thompson. Loeb, manager and founder of Third Point, a hedge fund that owns a 5.8 percent stake in Yahoo, has demanded more information about the process that led to the hiring of Thompson, after charging last week that the CEO did not have a computer science degree as his resume claimed.

Nokia Investors Claim Fraud Over False Turnaround Promises
May 04, 2012

The chain of troubles plaguing Nokia grew longer this week with news that class-action litigation giant Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd has filed suit against the firm alleging violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The complaint can be summed up thusly: Nokia said its shift to Windows Phone 7 would halt its slide in the smartphone market, but that hasn't happened.

Yahoo CEO's Fishy Resume Creates Big Stink
May 04, 2012

A fresh blight has struck Yahoo, which continues to flounder as management slashes its workforce in a bid to put the ailing company back on its feet. The resume of recently hired CEO Scott Thompson claims he holds a college degree that he never actually earned. The news erupted on Thursday in the midst of a proxy fight for control of Yahoo's board.

Everyone's Doing the Apple Tax Dance
April 30, 2012

Apple is employing several legal tax strategies to take its record-setting profit levels even higher. For example, the company's business doesn't just operate out of Cupertino, Calif., where the corporate tax rate is 8.84 percent. Apple has an office in Reno, Nev., where it can manage investments at a zero percent corporate tax rate.

Will Apple Sputter When It Runs Out of Jobs Juice?
April 27, 2012

Without Steve Jobs, Apple will fall from greatness, according to Forrester Research CEO George Colony. "Apple's momentum will carry it for 24-48 months," he wrote recently in his blog. "But without the arrival of a new charismatic leader," he continued, "it will move from being a great company to being a good company, with a commensurate step down in revenue growth and product innovation."

Schmidt: Sun Was Warm to Java Arrangement
April 25, 2012

Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt defended his company's actions regarding Java and Android as he took the witness stand Tuesday during Google's ongoing trial, in which the company stands accused of misusing Java programming code in the development of its mobile operating system.

Google Drive Hits China's Wall
April 25, 2012

Today in international tech news: Google Drive is "dead in the water" in China. Meanwhile, a soap opera is unfolding in South Korea, where there's a feud between the chairman of Samsung and family members who want a bigger piece of the company's fortune. Elsewhere, Twitter plays a central, and unfortunate, role in an English court case.

Larry vs. Larry
April 21, 2012

A San Francisco courtroom is presently the center ring in the worldwide tech IP litigation circus. While other legal battles over mobile device patents and copyrights are as down and dirty as ever in places like Germany, Australia, and elsewhere in the U.S., the fight between Oracle and Google over the alleged theft of Java technologies stands out due to its cast of characters.

Zuckerberg's Instagram Poker Face
April 18, 2012

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg apparently lives by the idea that it is better to ask forgiveness than permission. This seems to have been the case with his decision to acquire Instagram earlier this month. Zuckerberg reportedly alerted the board of directors only hours before making its largest acquisition ever, a billion-dollar deal for the digital photo-sharing service, which had only launched in October 2010.

The People vs. Apple
April 14, 2012

Apple has been accused of acting as ringleader of a price-fixing racket, enlisting half a dozen market-dominating companies in a conspiracy to profiteer through anticompetitive practices and artificial price inflation. The market: e-books. The U.S. DoJ sued Apple along with a handful publishers, accusing them of orchestrating a sales agreement that effectively changed the business model under which e-books were sold.

Best Buy Plot Thickens
April 12, 2012

Earlier this week, Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn looked like a poor sap being unceremoniously shown the door after close to 30 years of service to the retailer. His crime? He wasn't quick enough, smart enough, visionary enough. One 24-hour news cycle later, the story line is completely different. Unnamed sources are telling news media that Dunn hurriedly left the company after an investigation was launched because of an inappropriate relationship with a female employee.

Best Buy and CEO Brian Dunn Part Ways
April 11, 2012

News of Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn's resignation has resulted in some raised eyebrows, to say the least. There were no disagreements, Best Buy said -- the company and Dunn came to a mutual agreement that it was time for new leadership. Director G. Mike Mikan will serve as interim CEO while the company searches for a new chief.

RIM Goes for Broke
March 30, 2012

Research In Motion's recently appointed CEO Thorsten Heins emerged from his self-imposed 10-week quiet period by dropping a number of bombshells. Former co-CEO Jim Balsillie has resigned from the board of directors. Several other executives, including Chief Technical Officer David Yach and Chief Operating Officer Jim Rowan, are also leaving. The layoffs are said to include a number of senior vice presidents and vice presidents as well.

Battle for Yahoo's Board Cranks Up a Notch
March 29, 2012

It appears that Yahoo and shareholder Third Point are digging in for a contentious proxy fight. The companies have been tussling over who will fill four seats on the board of directors, with the two sides clashing on several points, including whether Third Point CEO Daniel Loeb should get one of the spots. On Sunday, Yahoo announced three new independent directors to the board, effective April 5.