Ross Levinsohn Leaves Yahoo

Interim CEO had been expected to leave the company after Yahoo hired Marissa Mayer as CEO

By George Winslow -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/30/2012 5:44:22 PM

After being passed over twice for the top job at Yahoo, Ross Levinsohn is leaving Yahoo! according to a filing Yahoo made July 30 with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

As part of the separation agreement, the company noted in its filing that it had "approved an equity award to Mr. Levinsohn consisting of 67,000 restricted stock units and 250,000 stock options" and that "Mr. Levinsohn will leave the Company effective July 31, 2012..

Levinsohn had been the company's interim CEO and was widely expected to assume the top job before the surprise announcement that former Google executive Marissa Mayer was hired.

In his tenure as interim CEO at Yahoo! after Scott Thompson left this spring, Levinsohn had drawn on his experience in the entertainment industry, which included a running Fox Interactive Media, to push Yahoo deeper into creating original content. His departure now casts doubt on that strategy.

In response to a request for a comment on his departure from Yahoo, a spokeswoman noted in an email: "Ross has done a terrific job during his time at Yahoo. We wish him all the best."