The addition of former Facebook and YouTube CFO Gideon Yu to the 49ers’ front office raised eyebrows last year. Now, the eyeballs under those eyebrows will be popping out a bit.
Yu has been promoted to the position of president and co-owner of the franchise.
“Gideon brings us a truly unique set of experiences and talents, and he will be a guiding force in our drive to continue the winning tradition of this franchise,” said 49ers CEO Jed York. “He’s both a visionary and the ‘go-to’ guy who can lead us through the enormous opportunities ahead such as, the stadium construction, expansion of our brand and its businesses, and positioning the franchise for the future. We have more to do now than ever before, and Gideon is the right person to get the job done.”
“My whole career has led to this point,” Yu said. “My job here is the perfect mix of my passions for football, entrepreneurship, business management and technology. Being at my favorite team in my favorite sport is a dream come true. We all look forward to winning with class both on and off the football field.”
Yu will be responsible for all business operations, and G.M. Trent Baalke will handle all football operations.
The “co-owner” title means either that Yu coughed up a chunk of his tech money to York, or that Yu has received a slice of equity as compensation for past or future services.