What Would You Ask Yahoo CEO Terry Semel?

As a shareholder, I'll be attending the Yahoo! (YHOO) annual meeting in Santa Clara on June 12th next week.

After three years of under-performing the S&P (4.29% for Yahoo! vs. 9.27% for the S&P), and far trailing Google's (GOOG) performance since its IPO, Yahoo! shareholders will justifiably be looking for answers to their questions from Yahoo!'s CEO, Terry Semel. Proxy advisory firm, ISS, recently came out in support of shareholders voting AGAINST Yahoo!'s Compensation Committee: Roy Bostock, Arthur Kern, and Ron Burkle.

Every shareholder at the meeting will be given the opportunity to ask some questions to Terry Semel.

Last Friday, I asked users on LinkedIn Answers and Yahoo! Answers: "What would you ask him as a shareholder if you were there?"

The responses have been numerous.

Here is a summary of shareholders' suggested questions:

1. What are Yahoo's most valuable strategic assets and how do you plan to leverage them to strengthen your strategic position?

2. If there were one asset or competency (that you don't have) that you wish Yahoo had, what would it be?

3. What do consider Google's weakness (Achilles' heel)?

4. What are the 3 reasons I should be a shareholder of Yahoo rather than Google ?

5. Why is Yahoo perpetually afraid to innovate and would rather follow then lead?

6. Why is Zod leaving?

7. Why did you not buy Google all those years ago when you had the chance?

8. What is the plan to beat Google? Is there even a plan?

9. If you could put one corporation, anywhere in the world, out of business, effective today, which would it be, and why?

10. How Dow, Braun now?

11. What capacity and resource planning is underway to move Yahoo! from a reactive, outmaneuvered position to a strategic, flexible advantage?

12. Where does Yahoo plan to claim its own space online for its groundbreaking developments once again, amid constant speculation of its eventual acquisition (or demise) and scrutiny of the "catch up" it must do on search, ads, and content?

13. Why don't you step down already?

14. How are you concretely engaging your management team around defining an inspiring vision and strategy that will not only stop the brain drain out of Yahoo but also attract key talent away from Google and other competitors?

15. How do you plan on competing with Google and what companies will you acquire in the process?

16. When are you getting rid of all the deadweight middle management?

17. When are you killing your failed Hollywood adventure?

Comments

[Swampthing:]

Why have they not purchased a mobile platform that offers one click to content from a mobile device and built around it.

Qode, the mobile platform, allows the mobile consumer / web user to click on 1D, 2D, QR, datamatrix, logos, keywords, trademarks, slogans, RFID, billboards, etc. to interact with the object click on. It is the internet of things. What about television? American Idol logo, Fox News, etc.

When clicked on I could find the nearest location of the object bus stop, resturant. Get a schedule of the next bus coming. Get a mobile coupons before a purchase. Get a stock quote. Get movie tickets. Get a notice sent to me when the product I want to purchase goes on sale. Price comparison.

Endless ideas.

How do you turn objects while looking thru Google, MSFT windows Live, or Yahoo? Type the long URL in the window and wait?

I am waiting for the platform to accept voice clicks. Say the word and, BINGO.

Out of the box thinking is what is needed. I am for hire.

2007 Jun 06 01:13 PM

[oceandude:]

I'd ask him if he has personally seen the new versions of tv.yahoo.com and sports.yahoo.com, both of which went from clean, simple designs to a bloated, Web 2.0 mess. Is he aware of the negative feedback? Who is setting or approving these "everything plus the kitchen sink" design philosophies?

2007 Jun 06 03:06 PM

[charles656oio:]

copy, paste and run....

www.bestmobiletools.co...

2007 Jun 06 11:34 PM