Yahoo China Chief Throws in Towel After 6 Weeks

The top executive at Yahoo China resigned from his job for “personal reasons” after six weeks on the job, Yahoo’s local partner Alibaba.com said on Monday.

Xie Wen joined Yahoo China as president on Oct. 17. Alibaba did not offer details surrounding his decision to leave the company.

Following his resignation, Xie will continue to serve as a consultant to Alibaba, the Chinese Internet company said. Xie is replaced by Zeng Ming, a senior vice president of Alibaba, who has been involved with strategic planning for Yahoo China since joining the company in August.

Alibaba acquired Yahoo’s struggling Chinese operations in 2005 as part of a deal that saw Yahoo invest more than US$1 billion in the Chinese company, which operates e-commerce sites for business and consumers. Alibaba is in the process of turning Yahoo China into a community portal site and search engine—a transformation that company executives say will take several years to complete.

-Sumner Lemon, IDG News Service (Singapore Bureau)

Related Links:

• Alibaba CEO Ma: Yahoo China to Be Community-Based Portal

• Yahoo China Files Suit Against Qihoo

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