Yahoo loses further top execs

A number of high-profile international Yahoo executives have either resigned or retired as the company continues its management shake up.

Yahoo said yesterday that its head of international operations, Heather Killen, would leave the company. Egon Zehnder International, a Switzerland-based executive search firm, will be retained to find her replacement.

Killen is expected to depart sometime in mid-June to pursue other business interests including board membership with Yahoo and a number of private companies.

"Thanks to Heather and her strong global team, Yahoo has successfully executed on building and operating the world's leading internet platform," said co-founder Jerry Yang.

Killen joined Yahoo in 1996 as managing director, European operations, and developed the business plan for Yahoo's operations in that region. She is the fifth top-level Yahoo manager to announce their resignation this year.

Earlier, Fabiola Arredondo, head of Yahoo's European operations, and Savio Chow, head of Asian operations, resigned within days of each other. Chow left to spend more time with his family, while Arredondo resigned to pursue other business interests, according to a Yahoo spokeswoman.

There had been speculation that Arredondo left because she was frustrated by differences of opinion between co-founder Jerry Yang, president Jeff Mallett and chief executive Tim Koogle.

Adding to Yahoo's international troubles, Jin Youm, chief executive of Yahoo South Korea, resigned saying that he was leaving because of a family illness. The head of Yahoo's Canadian operations, Mark Rubinstein, resigned in March, after spending just over one year with the company.

Chief executive Tim Koogle refused to directly address the issue in an interview. He would say only that Yahoo was actively hiring executives and taking advantage of layoffs elsewhere to hire experienced people.