Nokia, the Finnish telecoms company, has replaced its chief technology officer weeks ahead of the expected launch of a new range of smartphones resulting from the partnership struck with Microsoft earlier this year.
Henry Tirri has been named as chief technology officer and member of the leadership team, replacing Rich Green who went on leave for personal reasons in June. Mr. Green became chief technology officer in May 2010.
Mr. Tirri will report directly to Stephen Elop, chief executive and president. He will be charged with setting Nokia's technology agenda in the future and driving core innovation to enable business development opportunities.
Nokia is expected to unveil its smartphone that will use the Windows operating system rather than the company's own system ahead of the key Christmas trading period. It could take more than 18 months before the full range of Nokia Microsoft phones are available, however.
Analysts view the launch as crucial to claw back market share from the increasingly dominant Android and Apple operating systems, which have left Nokia struggling in the premium smartphone market even though it is still a dominant competitor in low- to mid-tier handsets. The Finnish company's share of the handset market fell to 25.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2011, from 30.6 per cent a year earlier.
Mr. Tirri will be based in Sunnyvale, California, and previously headed the Nokia Research Centre, Nokia's forward looking research facility. Mr. Green will return to the US to pursue new opportunities. Mr. Elop said: "Henry will have the opportunity to make a greater impact and set the course for Nokia and our role in the mobile industry."