Yahoo taps ex-News Corp exec for Americas biz

CALIFORNIA, USA: Yahoo Inc has hired the former head of News Corp's online operations to head its Americas business, as Yahoo seeks to rebuild its management ranks after a series of departures and stagnant revenue growth.

Ross Levinsohn will join Yahoo in November and oversee the media group, advertising sales and partnerships in the Americas region, the company said on Wednesday. He will report to Yahoo Chief Executive Carol Bartz, replacing Hilary Schneider, whose plans to leave Yahoo were announced last month.

Yahoo, the No. 2 Web search site in the United States behind Google Inc, is struggling to revive its revenue growth and its popularity among Web surfers, facing tough competition from social networking sites like Facebook.

The company has been rocked by a string of high-level departures in recent months, including Schneider, Vice President of Media Jimmy Pitaro and Senior Vice President of North America Audience, Mobile and Local David Ko.

In a statement, Bartz cited Levinsohn's experience carrying out strategies that increase user engagement and "accelerate topline growth."

Levinsohn joined News Corp in 2004 and oversaw the company's digital efforts, including the $580 million acquisition of social network MySpace in 2005, as President of the Fox Interactive Media unit.

MySpace's own popularity has waned in recent years. It relaunched a new version of its website on Wednesday focused on music and entertainment.

After leaving News Corp in 2006, Levinsohn co-founded the investment firm now known as Fuse Capital, along with Jonathan Miller, who now serves as the head of News Corp's digital operations