Yahoo Hires First CMO Under New Ownership: Former Chipotle and Taco Bell Marketer Tressie Lieb

Posted by Jenniffer Sheldon on Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Digital media and advertising company Yahoo tapped Tressie Lieberman, a marketing veteran from the fast-food biz, as its new CMO.

Lieberman, who previously worked at brands including Chipotle, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, was selected for the post “following an extensive executive search process,” according to Yahoo. She will report directly to Yahoo CEO Jim Lanzone.

Lieberman is Yahoo’s first executive in the chief marketing officer role since 2015, when then-CMO Kathy Savitt exited the company (prior to Yahoo’s 2016 acquisition by Verizon and its subsequent spin-out in 2021). In Yahoo’s current incarnation, marketing functions had been dispersed under the business units and now it will be centralized under the new CMO role with Lieberman.

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As Yahoo’s CMO, Lieberman will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s global marketing strategies, brand positioning, user acquisition and customer-engagement initiatives.

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“To say Tressie stood out during our search process would be a massive understatement,” Lanzone said in announcing her hire. “Tressie’s combination of core marketing skills, leadership and people skills, and strategic creativity — especially in digital and social channels — are extremely rare. She is also uniquely inspired by the chance to take the Yahoo brand to new heights, just like myself and the rest of our executive team. We can’t wait to give the keys to Tressie and watch her drive the brand forward in the years ahead.”

Most recently, Lieberman was Chipotle’s VP of digital marketing and off-premise from May 2018 until she left the company in June 2023. While at Chipotle, she’s credited with driving new customer growth and brand relevance and launched the Chipotle Rewards loyalty program to reach 33 million members. Lieberman also extended Chipotle’s reach to Gen Z, becoming an early leader on platforms like Roblox, Discord and BeReal, and inking TikTok influencer collaborations.

“I have always been drawn to the Yahoo brand — not only for its strong legacy, but for its immense potential,” said Lieberman. “The opportunity to push the boundaries and take the brand into the future is a dream. I couldn’t be more excited to work with Jim and his team to steer the path they’ve set forth through disruptive campaigns that engage with culture in new and exciting ways. With a wealth of beloved and compelling brands, the sky is truly the limit for the new Yahoo and I can’t wait to get started.”

Prior to working Chipotle, Lieberman was CMO at Snap Kitchen, where she oversaw a rebranding effort and led retail partnerships. Lieberman also served as VP of digital innovation and on-demand at Taco Bell, driving social media and influencer strategy to tap into millennial consumers. She also worked at Pizza Hut and ad agency Ogilvy & Mather. Lieberman holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising from the University of Texas at Austin.

Verizon sold Yahoo for $5 billion in 2021 to private-equity firm Apollo Global. Yahoo’s brands include Yahoo News, Yahoo Finance, Yahoo Sports, Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Search, AOL, Engadget, TechCrunch and Rivals.

Earlier this year, Yahoo announced that it was phasing out its supply side advertising platform, resulting in the company laying off more than 1,600 employees from its ad-tech division (representing over 20% of its overall workforce).

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