Nokia smartphone chief to depart as executive shakeup continues
The head of Nokia's smartphone business announced Monday that he will leave the company, a revelation that came just days after the company's chief executive announced he would resign, as the Finnish handset maker struggles to compete with Apple's iPhone.
Anssi Vanjoki, head of the mobile solutions unit at Nokia, announced Monday that he will resign from the company. Vanjoki will remain in his current position for the time being, and has a six-month notice period.
"I felt the time has come to seek new opportunities in my life," Vanjoki said in a press release. "At the same time, I am 100 percent committed to doing my best for Nokia until my very last working day. I am also really looking forward to this year's Nokia World and sharing news about exciting new devices and solutions."
The announcement comes just three days after Nokia's CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, announced that he will leave the company later this month. The new chief executive will be Stephen Elop, head of Microsoft's business division.
Nokia's executive-level shakeup comes as the company has failed to successfully compete with Apple's iPhone. Though Nokia remains the dominant handset maker worldwide, the company has lost share and profits as competitors like the iPhone and smartphones based on the Google Android operating system have taken off.
The company hopes its fortunes will turn this week at its Nokia World event in London, where it will present its latest smartphone lineup, including the Nokia N8. The company is also prepared to launch updated versions of its mobile operating systems, Symbian and MeeGo.
Anssi Vanjoki, head of the mobile solutions unit at Nokia, announced Monday that he will resign from the company. Vanjoki will remain in his current position for the time being, and has a six-month notice period.
"I felt the time has come to seek new opportunities in my life," Vanjoki said in a press release. "At the same time, I am 100 percent committed to doing my best for Nokia until my very last working day. I am also really looking forward to this year's Nokia World and sharing news about exciting new devices and solutions."
The announcement comes just three days after Nokia's CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, announced that he will leave the company later this month. The new chief executive will be Stephen Elop, head of Microsoft's business division.
Nokia's executive-level shakeup comes as the company has failed to successfully compete with Apple's iPhone. Though Nokia remains the dominant handset maker worldwide, the company has lost share and profits as competitors like the iPhone and smartphones based on the Google Android operating system have taken off.
The company hopes its fortunes will turn this week at its Nokia World event in London, where it will present its latest smartphone lineup, including the Nokia N8. The company is also prepared to launch updated versions of its mobile operating systems, Symbian and MeeGo.
Comments
The head of Nokia's smartphone business announced Monday that he will leave the company, a revelation that came just days after the company's chief executive announced he would resign, as the Finnish handset maker struggles to compete with Apple's iPhone.
It looks to me like Nokia is cleaning house. From the top down. I expect the new guys to bring in whole teams of new execs.
Likely it will be a VERY different company a year from now.
Likely it will be a VERY different company a year from now.
You got that right!
I do hope they have enough lifeboats this time.
C.
Kind of throws more than a little cold water on the recent Gartner "predictions", with Nokia in such disarray. Who knows what they'll be doing in 2014. Maybe making rubber boots again.
Yep. I agree that it will be a VERY different company in the future!
The head of Nokia's smartphone business announced Monday that he will leave the company, a revelation that came just days after the company's chief executive announced he would resign, as the Finnish handset maker struggles to compete with Apple's iPhone.
is doing the whole "Abandon ship!" thing
It looks to me like Nokia is cleaning house. From the top down. I expect the new guys to bring in whole teams of new execs.
Not really, if they were cleaning house, he would no longer be working there.
is doing the whole "Abandon ship!" thing
Apparently, all the women and children resigned last month.
C.
This is the only way MS is going to get their OS back into the market place, this or they would buy RIM which is still a distinct possibility, however, it looks like MS got their hands into Nokia's board and the firing has begun.
Prediction, all the position will be filled with people who are somehow related to Microsoft and then in the next 12 to 18 months you will see all their smart phones having Microsoft Mobile 7 on them.
This is the only way MS is going to get their OS back into the market place, this or they would by RIM which is still a distinct possibility, however, it looks like MS got their hands into Nokia's board and the firing has begun.
I too wonder what this means for the future of Meego.
I wouldn't be surprised to see them make handsets with WM7 or Android. If they abandon Meego that's a pretty big loss for Intel.
Prediction, all the position will be filled with people who are somehow related to Microsoft and then in the next 12 to 18 months you will see all their smart phones having Microsoft Mobile 7 on them.
Did you read the rest of his CV, he was only at MS for two years. Maybe he is going to fill it with Adobe or Juniper people, most likely neither
Prediction, all the position will be filled with people who are somehow related to Microsoft and then in the next 12 to 18 months you will see all their smart phones having Microsoft Mobile 7 on them.
Not going to happen with Microsoft's current licensing scheme. Nokia is selling around 100 million smartphones a year and that number is increasing at 40%+ YoY. At $15 per license, using Windows Phone 7 would cost Nokia at least $1.5 billion a year.
I'd wager that $1.5 billion is significantly above what Symbian and MeeGo cost to produce.
No really, if they were cleaning house, he would no longer be working there.
They might not have anyone to replace him with now.
Not going to happen with Microsoft's current licensing scheme. Nokia is selling around 100 million smartphones a year and that number is increasing at 40%+ YoY. At $15 per license, using Windows Phone 7 would cost Nokia at least $1.5 billion a year.
I'd wager that $1.5 billion is significantly above what Symbian and MeeGo cost to produce.
You guys do not understand how backroom deal work. Even though the new CEO was only at MS a short period of time this could be MS foot in the doors since no other company except HTC has agreed to work with MS going forward. What make you think MS would make them pay licensing fees, they may give it to them to get market penetration, hell they are paying develop to make programs for Zune and the Mobile 7 software.
I can also tell you I worked for a company who use MS product like many other companies for desktops and enterprise systems and we also sold products which offered MS product. MS struck a deal in the desktop and enterprise space so we would offer their products in our product. When we made the decision to move away from MS in our product they whacked us on the corporate side as payback for going away from them. This is how MS does business. Even if there were fees you would pay for them not the company since the company would just pass them along to the consumer.
You guys do not understand how backroom deal work. Even though the new CEO was only at MS a short period of time this could be MS foot in the doors since no other company except HTC has agreed to work with MS going forward. What make you think MS would make them pay licensing fees, they may give it to them to get market penetration, hell they are paying develop to make programs for Zune and the Mobile 7 software.
I was at a mobile developer conf recently. The rumor there was that Microsoft had actually paid some manufacturers to take Windows Mobile.
It was just scurrilous gossip, but I thought it was quite good scurrilous gossip.
C.
Not going to happen with Microsoft's current licensing scheme. Nokia is selling around 100 million smartphones a year and that number is increasing at 40%+ YoY. At $15 per license, using Windows Phone 7 would cost Nokia at least $1.5 billion a year.
I'd wager that $1.5 billion is significantly above what Symbian and MeeGo cost to produce.
It's more like $7 per license. It's been $15 for Windows XP Starter for netbooks.