• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, December 5, 2007

Continuing a series of high-profile departures at Yahoo, marketing vice president David Riemer will vacate his post at year's end. The move comes amid a reorganization of Yahoo's Network Division, headed by Jeff Weiner and responsible for the majority of the portal's consumer services.

Riemer's exit follows closely that of his former boss and Yahoo Chief Marketing Officer Cammie Dunaway, who left in October to join Nintendo as executive vice president for sales and marketing. Earlier this week, Yahoo confirmed that Nick Besbeas had been named head of marketing for the network division, reporting directly to Weiner in the wake of Dunaway's departure.

Previously, Besbeas led one of four marketing teams within the division--direct marketing--while Riemer headed the audience "go to market" team. Following Dunaway's exit, Riemer had been made the interim point person for the division's marketing efforts, according to an internal e-mail from Yahoo President Sue Decker posted on the Valleywag blog in October. It appears that Riemer's imminent departure stems from Besbeas being promoted over him.

"Nick was named head of marketing for the Yahoo Network Division and David Riemer, who oversaw a portion of Nick's role, has decided to leave the company," said a Yahoo spokesperson. Riemer declined comment.

Along with the direct marketing and "go to market" teams, Besbeas will now also oversee the consumer innovation and customer care teams. It is not clear at this point whether Yahoo will fill the CMO position vacated by Dunaway.

In other Yahoo management changes reported this week, Scott Moore was appointed to lead the network division's media group, based in Santa Monica, CA. Vince Broady, meanwhile--who had overseen entertainment, including movies and games--had been removed from that position and is now exploring other options within the company.

The division was also streamlined from six to four groups: Front Doors (the front page and My Yahoo) and Network Services led by Tapan Bhat; Communications and Communities, under Brad Garlinghouse; Search, led by Vish Makhijani; and Media, headed by Moore.

The latest reorganization is aimed at realizing Yahoo's broader strategy under co-founder new CEO Jerry Yang for returning to its roots as an Internet "starting point" rather than as a content creator. The company's structural changes over the last year have led to an exodus of senior-level executives including Gregory Coleman, global sales executive vice president, ad sales chief Wenda Millard, CTO Farzad Nazem, and Yang replacing Terry Semel as chief executive.