Yahoo! exec in Israel to meet software developers

Yahoo! market strategy & business development director Greg Cohn gave "Globes" an exclusive interview.

Yahoo is trying to adopt a type of open code for its development environment. The idea is for software developers to develop their products with Yahoo! customers, enabling the company to diversify its products environment.

Social networks are a key part of Yahoo!'s strategy. The company has joined OpenSocial Foundation alongside companies such as Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG) and MySpace Inc. in order to develop a typical user profile, based on which programmers outside those companies can develop relevant applications for the social networks.

"Globes": Will Yahoo! leverage the connection to invest in or acquire companies?

Cohn: "Everything is possible. We're always open to acquisitions. At the moment, we're only trying to develop an ecological system around our platform. For example, when we're in Israel, we try to reach people who will be aware of what we're offering here, but we want to be clear that Yahoo! also carries out it own developments in these fields."

Cohn adds that Yahoo! is mainly interested in the added value that it obtains from developments by third parties.

Yahoo! is not the only company holding events of this kind in Israel. Two months ago, FaceBook held a similar event, in order to persuade Israeli programmers to develop applications for its platform. Several months ago, Google held an event for its Android mobile telephone operating system development environment.

Cohn cited Israeli widget distribution network Gigya Ltd. as a successful example of collaboration. "We want Israeli programmers to know what Yahoo! is offering," he concluded.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 31, 2009

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