Microsoft CEO Nadella has announced some updates in leadership team and part of the announcement is reconfirmation about Stephen Elop’s role post deal-closure and expected timing of deal-closure. According to Nadella’s letter, the deal closure is expected by end of April. This is in line with Nokia asking for an exemption from Finnish ministry to present the Q1 results on 29th April. Anyways, it seems to highlight the fact that the approval from China will take some more time. Stephen Elop as reported earlier will return to Microsoft as Executive Vice President, Microsoft Devices Group, reporting to Nadella.
Finally, effective with the close of our deal with Nokia, Stephen Elop will join Microsoft as Executive Vice President, Microsoft Devices Group, reporting to me. We expect to close the acquisition by the end of April 2014. I’ve had a chance to work closely with Stephen, when he was previously a senior leader with Microsoft, as a key partner during his tenure as Nokia CEO, and again in the last several months as we’ve worked through the initial stages of integration planning. I look forward to working with Stephen as a key member of the senior leadership team and welcoming the Nokia Devices and Services employees to the Microsoft family. The mobile capabilities, hardware design expertise, and world-class manufacturing and supply chain operations they bring will help us drive innovations in devices to delight our customers. Stephen will partner closely with Phil and Terry on Xbox and will bring together many of the top leaders from his existing Nokia Devices and Services organization as well as the current leaders of the Devices and Studios team.
