Profile of Carol Bartz

As it hits the world that Microsoft and Yahoo have joined forces, we profile the key individuals from the two companies.

Carol Bartz became CEO of Yahoo on the 13th January 2009. She was the successor of CEO, and founder, Jerry Yang.

Before she joined Yahoo as CEO, Bartz was CEO of Autodesk, from 1992. Autodesk is the world's largest producer of design software for use in agriculture, engineering and building construction. According to Forbes,Bartz "transformed Autodesk from an aimless maker of PC software into a leader of computer-aided design software, targeting architects and builders."

In 2006, Bartz stepped down as CEO of the company, and became the executive chairman of the board. While Bartz was in charge, the net revenue increased, from US$285 million to US$1.523 billion.

Bartz has served on several boards of directors, including those of Intel, Cisco Systems, Autodesk, BEA Systems, Network Appliance, and the United States President's Council of Advisers on Science and Technology.

During a conference call with financial analysts later in January 2009, she announced her intention to make sure Yahoo! got "some friggin' breathing room" so the company could "kick some butt." Rob Hof of Business Week was skeptical that Bartz or anyone else could save the company: "it's not yet clear if Bartz can turn Yahoo around no matter how good she may be."

In May 2009, Reuters reported that she had already "worked through an impressive checklist" at her new company, "upending the organizational structure, replacing executives and cutting costs including 675 jobs, or 5 percent of the workforce."

Talking about the merger, Bartz says, "This agreement comes with boatloads of value for Yahoo!, our users, and the industry. And I believe it establishes the foundation for a new era of Internet innovation and development."

Bartz is listed at 345 out of 500 in the Fortune 500 list in 2009 of powerful women CEOs.

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