Jerry Yang, co-founder of Yahoo, severed his executive ties with the company and its Asian partners on Tuesday as the upheaval at the US internet company reached its boardroom.

His resignation as a director, which brings an end to one of the most prominent careers dating from the early days of the internet, will leave the way clear for Scott Thompson, the new chief executive, to stamp his own mark on the struggling internet media concern, according to analysts and people familiar with the company. Some also suggested that it would ease negotiations over the sale of Yahoo’s stakes in its Asian partners, which are seen as key to appeasing unhappy shareholders.

However, one person close to Yahoo denied suggestions that Mr Yang had been forced out and insisted that the move had been entirely his decision.