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Nokia has made a recent announcement concerning the new appointment of Stephen Elop as CEO of the Finnish multinational company. Elop will take his place as CEO of Nokia in late September 2010, though it may take some time before Elop can convince skeptics that he will excel in his new position. However, Elop’s acumen in the software industry (he is currently serving as President of Business Software at Microsoft until he takes over the role of CEO at Nokia) may be exactly what is needed for Nokia to transition into the age of smartphones and excel in this growing milieu.
Traditionally, Nokia has been known to excel in areas regarding hardware development and implementation. Nokia offers a wide range of cellular phone products and continues to sell many low cost cellular phones, which depend on solid hardware. However, smartphones are a different breed of phone, and they require a strong focus on software (though reliable hardware is still an important factor in the development of any type of phone). Unfortunately, software development has typically been the arena in which Nokia has failed to excel. Now Nokia is hoping to change all that by appointing Elop as CEO.
Unlike his Nokia predecessor who has a law background, Elop has a degree in computer science, in addition to a multitude of influential contacts on the North American continent. Not only does Elop excel in his software endeavors, but he is also acclaimed for his leadership abilities, as well as his aptitude for implementing change. Elop, himself, asserts that it will be his responsibility to guide Nokia through this adjustment period. Further bolstering Elop’s solid reputation, is the chairman of Nokia, Jorma Ollila, who believes that Elop’s combination of strengths will help the company achieve the rebirth that is necessary to keep Nokia a relevant player in this technological age.
