Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) has announced the selection of a leader to work with lawmakers and regulators around the world. Tekedra N. Mawakana will head up the company's global public policy initiatives, partnering with government and industry to set policies.
Charged with developing and directing Yahoo!'s global public policy strategy and team, Mawakana will focus on global government affairs. She's expected to work on issues concerning privacy, intellectual property, business and human rights, high-skilled immigration reform, and cyber-security. Her title will be deputy general counsel and vice president, global public policy.
Mawakana worked at AOL since 2001, most recently serving as senior VP of public policy and deputy general counsel. Before that time, she was the senior corporate counsel at Startec Global Communications. She started her career in the D.C. office of Steptoe & Johnson, in the Telecommunications and Intellectual Property group.
In the company's press release, Mawakana said of her move to Yahoo!:
"The complexity of technology platforms and the pace of innovation creates unique challenges as governments work to develop smart policies for online and mobile businesses around the world. There is a critical need for public policy engagement, and I look forward to advocating on behalf of Yahoo! and the hundreds of millions of users, advertisers, partners and employees who rely on its platform."
