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Yahoo! Europe, operator of the UK’s busiest Website, has appointed former top BBC Worldwide executive Fabiola Arredondo as managing director, to replace Heather Killen who is returning to Yahoo!’s US headquarters.

Arredondo’s appointment comes seven months after her shock re signation from the post of BBC Worldwide’s director of international distribution.

Arredondo left the BBC last June saying she wanted to return to working in a “fully commercial” environment – indicating frustration with the convoluted process of decision making within the BBC.

Her brief is to drive up traffic and advertising revenues on Yahoo!, Europe’s core Internet services covering the UK, Germany and France, where the company claims market leadership.

Yahoo! has more recently launched local versions of its service covering Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The company is committed to rolling out services covering additional European territories.

Killen, who has spearheaded Yahoo!’s launch in Europe since the summer of 1996, becomes vice president, international, for Yahoo! working out of its headquarters in Santa Clara, California.

She will retain a watching brief over Yahoo!’s European services in her new role, which sees her take responsibility for all the company’s activities outside the US.