America Online Inc. is doing a high-speed changeup in its broadband-unit
leadership, as Audrey Weil steps down and AOL Anywhere chief Lisa Hook steps
in.
Weil, who came to AOL as part of its acquisition of CompuServe Interactive
Services Inc. years ago, will step down in May as president of the AOL Broadband
unit after one year at the post.
In that time, the unit has fielded cable-modem access across fellow AOL Time
Warner Inc. subsidiary Time Warner Cable's network in 23 markets, as well as
working to reform its digital-subscriber-line strategy in the wake of turbulent
changes and flameouts in that market in the past year.
'She asked for the break. She has been going flat-out for the past 15 years,'
AOL spokesman Jim Whitney said. 'She just wanted to take a few months, to take a
break.'
But Weil won't be leaving the company -- she will return at the end of the
summer to assume an as-yet-undefined post.
Hook is now president of the AOL Anywhere division, the unit that oversees
remote-access services. No replacement has been named for that position yet.
Given the two-month leadership transition, the unit shouldn't expect any
disruption, Whitney said.
'Lisa and Audrey have worked very closely together, and because Audrey is
staying until May, it is really going to be a seamless transition,' Whitney
said.
