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Nokia Names Microsoft's Elop As New CEO

Posted by Soulskill on from the embracing-and-extending dept.

itwbennett writes "Nokia has tapped Stephen Elop, former president of Microsoft's business software group, to become its new CEO effective Sept. 21. Elop will replace Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, who loses his board seat immediately and will step down from the CEO position on Sept. 20. Microsoft said Elop will leave immediately, but the company doesn't seem to be rushing to fill the vacancy at the top of one of its largest divisions. 'I am writing to let you know that Stephen Elop has been offered and has accepted the job as CEO of Nokia and will be leaving Microsoft, effective immediately,' Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer wrote in a letter to employees late Thursday."

2 of 140 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Hmm, shoulda hired from Google by Keruo · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The only reason I just bought an Android phone instead of an N900

    NITDroid(Android 2.2) runs on N900 just fine, if you don't like the Nokia software, switch.
    Thats why N900 is superior platform, it gives YOU the ability to choose the OS yourself instead telling what you can and can't do with the hardware.

    --
    There are no atheists when recovering from tape backup.
  2. Re:The hired from Microsoft because ... by Xest · · Score: 5, Interesting

    That was my first thought, but to be fair this guy is coming from one of Microsoft's most succesful divisons- the one that brings in one of the largest shares of Microsoft's profits, whilst Microsoft's attempts at entering the mobile market have not come from this division.

    It's unlikely this fellow had much real involvement in Windows Mobile, but does have experience of running one of the most succesful divisions of the largest tech company in the world.

    My biggest concern if anything would be that perhaps this background may leave him too business focussed, and with the current battle for mobile phones being more centred around fun and personal use he may end up just pushing dull handsets that only compete with the likes of the Blackberry and aren't interesting enough to challenge Android and iPhones in the hearts of consumers. Potentially though his skills are transferrable and working in a business focussed division doesn't mean he can't use his management skills on non-business focussed stuff too.