Yahoo hires Google's Mayer as CEO

Google Inc's Marissa Mayer will become Yahoo Inc's new chief executive, a surprise pick and the third CEO for the company in a year.

Yahoo said Mayer would assume her role on Tuesday.

Mayer, one of Google's earliest employees, was the Internet search company's first female engineer and has led various businesses at Google including the design of its flagship search engine and its location and local services business.

Yahoo had been widely expected to appoint interim CEO Ross Levinsohn to the position.

Mayer's appointment caps a tumultuous year at Yahoo. In May Scott Thompson resigned as CEO after less than 6 months on the job after a controversy over his academic credentials.

Thompson had replaced Carol Bartz, who was fired in September after failing to revitalize Yahoo.