Also in today's EMEA roundup: Nokia names decision day for Microsoft deal; Danish operator upgrades with Huawei, Euro-Huaweiland opens its doors.
How much?! Stephen Elop, the former CEO of Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK), is in line for a $25 million windfall should the sale of the shrinking Finnish giant to Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) go through, reports the BBC. The payoff, 70 percent of which will be funded by Microsoft, comprises 18 months of salary plus various other bonuses. Expect more than a few rumblings of discontent -- including references to Trojan horses -- from Finland and beyond. (See The Nokia/Microsoft Conspiracy Theory and Nokia Sells Devices Business to Microsoft .)
Stephen Elop's Christmas bonus, possibly.
And on the subject of the above, Nokia has announced the date of its Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders to vote on the proposal to sell its Devices & Services business to Microsoft: It's November 19, so let's hope the central heating is working in Espoo on the day.
Danish operator TDC A/S (Copenhagen: TDC) has signed a six-year, $716 million deal with Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. for an upgrade of its mobile network, reports Reuters.
And to underline its commitment to and hopes for the European market, Huawei has just opened an exhibition center in Amstelveen, the Netherlands. The center will showcase its latest Europe-appropriate products and research. Huawei already employs 7,500 employees on the Old Continent, and plans to hire 5,500 more during the next five years. (See Euronews: Huawei to Hire More Brits.)
SFR , the Vivendi subsidiary that might not be a Vivendi subsidiary for much longer, has launched commercial LTE services in Paris with Nokia Networks , which deployed its Liquid Radio technology. (See Euronews: SFR Drags Vivendi Down.)
— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading
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