Yahoo Chief Executive Carol Bartz claimed in a speech yesterday that it was a “distinct pleasure” to have activist shareholder Carl Icahn on her company’s board. According to the Barron’s Tech Trader Daily blog, Bartz discussed corporate governance and the challenges facing Yahoo at a keynote address before Stanford Directors’ College yesterday.
Bartz, who was named Yahoo CEO in January, said of Icahn that “it is actually better having him there. [He’s a smart] guy and all of that stuff. [It’s] hard to have someone coming after you so public and so strong.”
The Yahoo CEO also discussed a few principles of good corporate governance, including her belief that boards are too collegial, saying that there is a “tendency to be conflict averse among themselves.”
Bartz also stressed the importance of diversity of age among corporate boards, warning of “that narrow age band,” and suggesting that boards work to incorporate younger directors, and “less middle-aged white guys.”