New York Times Starting CEO Search Without a Search Firm

Did she jump or was she pushed? Either way, Janet Robinson seems to be leaving the CEO spot at the New York Times with great haste: The publisher announced that she’ll be leaving at the end of the month, which is just barely two week’s notice. (Update: She was fired, the Times says, without quite saying that.)

Another indicator that things moved very quickly: While the Times has said it will conduct an internal and external search for a successor, it has not hired a search firm for the job, according to spokesman Robert Christie.

That said, the Times has contracted with executive recruiter Egon Zehnder International to fill a board of directors seat vacated by former Drugstore.com CEO Dawn Lepore in June. People familiar with that search say the company has been looking for candidates with digital expertise — something they’ve also indicated will be important for Robinson’s successor.