Susan Decker
Encyclopedia
Susan Lynne Decker (born 1962) served as president of Yahoo! Inc in 2007 and 2008, leading the operations of the company during Jerry Yang's reign as CEO.
, and an Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business School
. She is also a Chartered Financial Analyst
. Prior to joining Yahoo, she worked with Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
for 14 years. Most recently, she served as the global director of equity research, a $300 million operation, where, among other things, she was responsible for building and staffing a non-U.S. research product based on global sector teams. Before she assumed these responsibilities, Decker spent 12 years as an equity research analyst, providing coverage to institutional investors on more than 30 media, publishing, and advertising stocks. In this capacity, she received recognition by Institutional Investor magazine as a top rated analyst for ten consecutive years.
Decker has three children and lives in Marin County.
where she was known for leading a consortium with the newspaper industry and the launch of a display ad platform.
Decker was in a favorable position for consideration as CEO. However, Yahoo! experienced a difficult period during Jerry Yang's CEO leadership when the company was under siege from a takeover offer from Microsoft
. Also the proposed search deal with Google
that Decker drove as an alternative to a transaction with Microsoft didn't get through the U.S. Justice Department
. This led the company to ask Jerry Yang to resign and the board to go with an outside candidate for the CEO position that wasn't associated with this troubled period. Decker and Yang were unable to assuage shareholder concerns as Yahoo's share price fell in 2007 and 2008 during Google's ascendency. Decker announced her intention to resign from the company on January 13, 2009, following the appointment of Carol Bartz
as CEO.
, Intel Corporation
, Costco
, and LegalZoom
. She served on the board of directors of Pixar Animation Studios
from June 2004 to May 2006, until its sale to The Walt Disney Company
, and on the board of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research
from March 2005 to May 2007. She was also named a Trustee of Save The Children
in March 2010.
In the fall of 2009, Decker joined the Harvard Business School as an Entrepreneur In Residence working with students in their own ventures and helping faculty to develop and deliver the entrepreneurship-focused portions of the School’s Immersion Experience Program.
On September 30, 2010, Decker received Harvard Business School's most important honor, the Alumni Achievement Award.
Early history and personal life
Decker has a Bachelor of Science in computer science and economics from Tufts UniversityTufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
, and an Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
. She is also a Chartered Financial Analyst
Chartered Financial Analyst
The Chartered Financial Analyst Program is a graduate level self-study program offered by the CFA Institute to investment and financial professionals...
. Prior to joining Yahoo, she worked with Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette or DLJ is a defunct U.S. investment bank founded by William H. Donaldson, Richard Jenrette and Dan Lufkin in 1959. Its businesses included securities underwriting; sales and trading; investment and merchant banking; financial advisory services; investment research;...
for 14 years. Most recently, she served as the global director of equity research, a $300 million operation, where, among other things, she was responsible for building and staffing a non-U.S. research product based on global sector teams. Before she assumed these responsibilities, Decker spent 12 years as an equity research analyst, providing coverage to institutional investors on more than 30 media, publishing, and advertising stocks. In this capacity, she received recognition by Institutional Investor magazine as a top rated analyst for ten consecutive years.
Decker has three children and lives in Marin County.
Yahoo! presidency
Decker was chief financial officer and executive vice-president of finance and administration of Yahoo from 2000 to 2007. During her tenure as CFO, she oversaw finance, legal, human resources, facilities, and investor relations. In advance of being promoted to president of the company, in 2006 to 2007 she served as executive vice president of the Advertiser and Publisher Group in addition to her CFO responsibilities,where she was known for leading a consortium with the newspaper industry and the launch of a display ad platform.
Decker was in a favorable position for consideration as CEO. However, Yahoo! experienced a difficult period during Jerry Yang's CEO leadership when the company was under siege from a takeover offer from Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
. Also the proposed search deal with Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
that Decker drove as an alternative to a transaction with Microsoft didn't get through the U.S. Justice Department
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
. This led the company to ask Jerry Yang to resign and the board to go with an outside candidate for the CEO position that wasn't associated with this troubled period. Decker and Yang were unable to assuage shareholder concerns as Yahoo's share price fell in 2007 and 2008 during Google's ascendency. Decker announced her intention to resign from the company on January 13, 2009, following the appointment of Carol Bartz
Carol Bartz
Carol Ann Bartz is an American business executive, the former president and CEO of the Internet services company Yahoo!, and former chairman, president, and CEO at architectural and engineering design software company Autodesk....
as CEO.
Post-Yahoo! career
Decker currently serves on the boards of directors of Berkshire HathawayBerkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is an American multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, that oversees and manages a number of subsidiary companies. The company averaged an annual growth in book value of 20.3% to its shareholders for the last 44 years,...
, Intel Corporation
Intel Corporation
Intel Corporation is an American multinational semiconductor chip maker corporation headquartered in Santa Clara, California, United States and the world's largest semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue. It is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most...
, Costco
Costco
Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world...
, and LegalZoom
LegalZoom
LegalZoom.com, Inc. is an online legal documentation service that was founded by Brian P. Y. Liu, Brian S. Lee, Edward R. Hartman, and Robert Shapiro,...
. She served on the board of directors of Pixar Animation Studios
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
from June 2004 to May 2006, until its sale to The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
, and on the board of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research
Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research
The Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research is a nonpartisan economic research institution housed at Stanford University. It was founded in 1982 as a way to bring together economic scholars from different parts of the University. George Shultz was a key player in its inception...
from March 2005 to May 2007. She was also named a Trustee of Save The Children
Save the Children
Save the Children is an internationally active non-governmental organization that enforces children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries...
in March 2010.
In the fall of 2009, Decker joined the Harvard Business School as an Entrepreneur In Residence working with students in their own ventures and helping faculty to develop and deliver the entrepreneurship-focused portions of the School’s Immersion Experience Program.
On September 30, 2010, Decker received Harvard Business School's most important honor, the Alumni Achievement Award.