More heads rolling at Nokia: Anssi Vanjoki, the head of Nokia’s Mobile Solutions unit, has put in his papers, the company has announced. This comes just days after Nokia announced the replacement of President and CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo with Microsoft’s Steven Elop. Vanjoki is Executive Vice President at the company, and a member of Nokia’s Group Executive Board.
He was responsible for Nokia’s portfolio of mobile computers, smartphones and the services business, and what is surprising is that he had only recently been appointed to this position in July 2010. So was he eying the top job and passed over, or is this a consequence of the poor execution of Nokia’s Mobile Solutions Strategy?
Vanjoki is now serving a six month notice period. Vanjoki had been with Nokia for 19 years, joining the company in 1991 as VP (Sales) in the Mobile Phones unit from 3M Corporation. From 2004, he served as EVP and GM (Multimedia), with overall responsibility for the Nokia Nseries and Nokia services. He was general manager of the Markets unit from January 2008 until assuming his current role.
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Nokia Corporation
Stock Exchange Release
September 13, 2010 at 9.30 (CET +1)
Espoo, Finland – Nokia announced today that Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President and a member of Nokia Group Executive Board has given notice of resignation from Nokia. Vanjoki, who currently heads Nokia’s Mobile Solutions unit, has six months notice period and he will continue in his current tasks for the time being.
“I felt the time has come to seek new opportunities in my life,” Anssi Vanjoki says. “At the same time, I am one hundred per cent 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.”
