Nokia CMO out in business overhaul
Nokia’s chief marketing officer, Jerri DeVard is to leave as part of a wide-ranging shakeup at the troubled handset maker aimed at arresting plummeting profit.
DeVard, one of three senior executives stepping down “to pursue opportunities outside Nokia”, will be replaced by Tuula Rytila, formally senior vice president of portfolio and business management. DeVard joined 18 months ago after running a marketing consultancy.
Other new faces appointed to the company’s leadership team include senior vice president for markets Chris Weber, who has been named executive vice president of sales and marketing.
The changes come as part of a package of emergency measures in the wake of its latest profit warning. The mobile maker, which has lost ground to Apple and Samsung in the smartphone market, is to slash 10,000 jobs, the equivalent of 19% of its workforce.
It has announced an intention to invest in products and marketing. Specifically:
- “In products and experiences that make Lumia smartphones stand out and available to more consumers”
- “In location-based services as an area of competitive differentiation for Nokia products and extend its location-based platform to new industries”
- “In Improving the competitiveness and profitability of its feature phone business”
Luxury mobile brand Vertu is to be sold for an undisclosed amount to private equity group QT VI. It was put up for sale in April.
