Long before Microsoft sprung its hostile offer for Yahoo, Jerry Yang, the Internet company’s chief executive, agreed to address the annual meeting of the Interactive Advertising Bureau. Selling ads, particularly expensive branding campaigns, is essential to Yahoo’s future–whoever owns it.

Mr. Yang now may well have other things on his schedule besides making speeches. Oh, to pick one: figuring out how to respond to the looming threat of a Microsoft proxy fight. Yet Mr. Yang still plans to speak Monday at the I.A.B. gathering in Phoenix. And in a surprise move, he has told the I.A.B. he will bring Sue Decker, his No. 2, with him to speak.

Why the double team? Yahoo representatives wouldn’t say.

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Microsoft, Yahoo!, Jerry Yang, Advertising, Company Affairs