Sony Ericsson MD to depart for headset company

Sony Ericsson UK managing director John Harber is understood to be leaving the company to join headset venture Aliph. Its UK sales director Nathan Vautier is expected to step into his vacated role in the New Year.

Harber has been with the handset maker for 18 years. In his new job, he will work on Aliph’s premium headset brand Jawbone as vice president across Europe. Aliph is a privately-owned US company which was set up in 2006.

News of his departure comes at a time of several top-level movements within rival companies, with Nokia managing director, Simon Ainslie, leaving to take on a vice president role within the Nokia group. Motorola UK general manager, Jim Michel, also left his post last week.

In October Sony Ericsson announced it would be closing its only UK high street store after failing to make a profit. It still has 200 stores around the world, with a large proportion in Asia. It is likely to invest and launch more stores in countries such as India.