Nokia top VP stepping down
Fresh on the heels of last week's CEO reshuffling, an executive vice president announces his resignation.
In the wake of replacing its CEO last week, Nokia is losing one of its top VPs.
Anssi Vanjoki, executive vice president and general manager of the Mobile Solutions group and a member of Nokia's Group Executive Board, is resigning, the company said Monday. Vanjoki will continue in his job for another six months before departing.
"I felt the time has come to seek new opportunities in my life," Vanjoki said in a statement. "At the same time, I am one hundred percent 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."
Nokia announced last week the hiring of Microsoft executive Stephen Elop as CEO to take over for the embattled Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo. Elop is slated to start on September 20.
Vanjoki was seen as the No. 2 man at Nokia and the one internal person most likely to have replaced Kallasvuo, according to the Register.
Since a company reorganization earlier this year, Vanjoki has been in charge of Nokia's Mobile Solutions group, which manages the Symbian smartphone and MeeGo computer product lines. In that role, Vanjoki has reported directly to the CEO. He joined Nokia in 1991 and has served on the Group Executive Board since 1998.
Vanjoki's announcement comes at an awkward time, sandwiched between Kallasvuo's departure and Tuesday's launch of Nokia World 2010, in which Vanjoki will still play an active role. Nokia uses the annual event to tout its products and services, but this year's agenda could be hijacked by talk of the company's management shake-ups.