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Nokia Names Microsoft's Elop As New CEO
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."
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.
Maybe Nokia's hoping to move in more of a business direction and eat up Blackberry's market?
Elop comes from Office, which is about as close to a license to print money as you can get in the Office world. Clearly he knows something about managing a product that the business world will want. Cue a handful of people who are convinced that any day now Google Docs or OO will finally make real headway against Office in much the same way that Cubs fans are convinced that this will be their year in the World Series, but seriously -- even if Office somehow went down in flames today, it's still enjoyed utter dominance of its market for, what, 15 years? I'm sure if Nokia ended up with only that kind of dominance over business smartphones out of this move (and I don't think they will, but for the sake of argument... ) they'd be happy with it.
A lot of people are asking why a guy from Microsoft?
Basically, Nokia didn't hire a "Microsoft exec", but Stephen Elop of lately Microsoft, but previously of Juniper Networks, Adobe and Macromedia, a software guy with a reputation of excellent communication skills. That might be a very good move, Nokia can make mobile hardware as well as anyone, it's their software and services that have been the problem and not just lately, but at least since 2000.
One of article gives a good overview.
http://www.itworld.com/business/120236/nokia-names-microsofts-elop-new-ceo
The Guardian has very nice article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/sep/10/nokia-stephen-elop-smartphone
Only thing I can think to add, that I read in Finnish media, was that Elop handled Microsoft's relations with Nokia and is relatively well known inside Nokia's boardroom already.
Computers are useless. They can only give you answers - Pablo Picasso
This guy isn't Mr Microsoft. He simply worked for them. Have some damn perspective.