Jorma Ollila: Nokia to turn things around at the end of the year, success in the next few years…

Fossi mails in a translation from the Finland’s leading Swedish newspaper, Huvudstadbladet, that talked about Jorma Ollila, ex CEO soon to be succeeded as Chairman by Risto Siilasmaa.

He says that turnaround of Nokia will be seen at the end of the year, confident that Nokia will sort out their problems. Ollila says that the major changes are slow, and only in the next few years will we see how Elop has succeeded. Elop has had a year and a half already, but Ollila estimates that it takes 18 months minimum to bring about significant change and so in the next two to four years, we will see the impact Elop had.

Is this confidence from knowing Nokia’s future strategies and products? Ollila was expected to stick around with Nokia and not retire sooner than he did to shepherd Nokia through difficult periods. Is he leaving because Nokia is now on the right path? Or perhaps that’s just executive speak and he’s just leaving, either because he has been at Nokia for 27 years or maybe, worryingly he doesn’t really think Nokia will turn things around?

Success in the next few years? This year is mostly said to be the year of transition (again :/) but with the new strategy. Hopefully Nokia has some class leading products at the end of the year in all aspects of Nokia’s portfolio, and that the current phones sell enough to be seen as a start of healing and turn around at Nokia.

• Jorma Ollila, who soon resigns as chairman of mobile phone maker Nokia believes that a turn for the better will be done within the company at the end of this year.
• In an interview with MTV3 Ollila says that he is confident that Nokia sort out their problems.
• Ollila stresses that major changes are slow. Only the next few years shows how CEO Stephen Elop has succeeded.
• Elop has led Nokia in a year and a half years.
• Over the next two to four years shows what kind of impact he had. 18 months is the minimum time during which you can bring about a significant change, estimates Ollila.
• According to Ollila solves a merger is not Nokia’s problems.
• Company cultures are so different that there is great reluctance to start combining them.
• Ollila has been working with Nokia for 27 years. He resigns as chairman next week. Ollila is succeeded by Risto Siilasmaa

Cheers Fossi for the tip and translation!

Category: Nokia