Part 5/13:
Marissa Mayer and the Demise of Yahoo
A prominent tech figure, Marissa Mayer, inherited a sinking ship when she became CEO of Yahoo. Despite her impressive credentials at Google, Mayer’s leadership was marred by expensive acquisitions, including the $1.1 billion purchase of Tumblr, which failed to revive Yahoo’s flagging fortunes. Her focus on redesigns and new features did little to stem the decline of what was once a digital giant.
The company's inability to adapt to the mobile revolution and intensifying competition led to its core assets being sold to Verizon for a fraction of its former valuation. Mayer’s departure marked the end of an era, highlighting how leadership missteps and failure to innovate can doom even the most established internet brands.