AOL rented out a hall in the Natural History Museum and pitched itself to New York's ad buyers tonight with a glitzy road show. We sat one row to the left and one row back from CEO Randy Falco. During the presentation, news broke that Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang would step down. Falco and lieutenant Ron Grant whispered during the show.
After the presentation, Falco told us he'd already heard the news. "Not totally surprising," he said. "But I'm surprised it happened so soon."
He asked if we'd heard any news about Yahoo president Sue Decker. We said some speculate she might be Yahoo's next CEO. Not Falco. While offering the standard disclaimer -- "I don't know anything" -- he told us that with Yang out at Yahoo, Decker will probably follow.
Then Falco talked a bit about how the economy looks like its going to get much worse. We asked him who he thought would be Yahoo's next CEO. He said: "I don't have any idea. Who ever it is, good luck. Yeah, good luck."
