Thaindian News

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Mar 23, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO) announced that Elisa Steele has joined the company as chief marketing officer, effective today. Steele is responsible for Yahoo!’s brand, its global marketing strategy and its marketing functions including brand marketing, audience marketing, corporate communications, insights, policy and privacy, community affairs, and related central teams. She reports to Yahoo! CEO Carol Bartz.

“The Yahoo! brand is one of our most valuable and strategic assets, and Elisa is charged with unlocking its potential globally. Elisa has an outstanding track record in leading global marketing, branding, and communications teams, and we’re excited to welcome her to Yahoo!’s executive staff,” said Bartz. “Yahoo!’s marketing strategy and teams have become decentralized over time - hiring Elisa in the CMO role will quickly mobilize our plan to integrate the function globally and more effectively represent the Yahoo! brand.”

Prior to joining Yahoo!, Steele was senior vice president of corporate marketing at NetApp, where she led the company’s global brand strategy including global communications, corporate relations, and integrated marketing functions. Her work at NetApp included strategically repositioning the brand in the category and a major global relaunch.

Before NetApp, Steele led Sun’s integrated marketing and merchandising organization, where she was responsible for global go-to-market initiatives, campaign execution, events, online marketing, and installed base marketing. Steele also led several other marketing functions at Sun. Her professional experience also includes management positions at iPlanet eCommerce Solutions, JavaSoft, and AT&T.

“I’m excited to join the team and help unleash the incredible power of the Yahoo! brand,” said Steele. “I look forward to working closely with Carol and the entire organization to help renew the company’s focus on its customers and to reassert the brand’s relevance around the world.”

Steele holds a master of business administration degree from San Francisco State University and a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of New Hampshire.