Executive changes at Nokia have been afoot for a while now, starting with the ousting of Finnish CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, replaced by Stephen Elop, Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT)'s former business division chief, in September. (See Nokia Dumps CEO, Hires Elop and Nokia Appoints New CEO.)
Since then, Nokia's musical chairs have continued:
- Anssi Vanjoki, Nokia EVP and head of the smartphone division, stepped down just one month after Elop took the helm, reportedly miffed he wasn't chosen as CEO. (See Nokia Confirms Vanjoki Exit.)
- Around the same time as Vanjoki left, Ari Jaaksi, VP of MeeGo devices, jumped ship as well.
- Alberto Torres, Jaaksi's former boss, now runs the MeeGo computers division as EVP, a position he's had since July 2009. (See Nokia Creates Solutions Unit.)
- Nokia hired ex-Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) exec Jerri DeVard as the company's first chief marketing officer back in November for a Jan. 1 start date. (See Nokia Appoints CMO .)
- Jorma Ollila, chairman of Nokia's board of directors, plans to step down in 2012. (See Nokia Appoints CMO .)
— Sarah Reedy, Senior Reporter, Light Reading Mobile