Dive Brief:
- Pekka Rantala, former CEO of entertainment media company Rovio, was tapped as the new chief marketing officer for HMD Global, the company now charged with selling phones and tablets under the Nokia brand.
- Microsoft sold the phone business it purchased from Nokia to Foxconn's FIH Mobile in May. HMD Global was founded shortly after.
- HMD Global is reportedly looking to launch a Nokia phone comeback. Rovio is best known for its 'Angry Birds' game apps and spinoff products.
Dive Insight:
"Pekka has an important mission to rejuvenate the Nokia brand in mobile phones," said former Nokia executive Arto Nummela, who is now HMD's chief executive.
Nokia was once a huge player in the mobile phone business. But the company faded away quickly once Android and Apple smartphones emerged. Now, HMD has committed to spend $500 million over the next three years on global marketing. HMD hopes the strength of the Nokia name will still appeal to customers.
The company’s first new phones are expected in 2017. Though not much is known about them yet, HMD has reportedly ditched Microsoft’s Windows Phone software in favor of the Android OS.
Rantala previously worked at Nokia for 17 years. When he left the company in 2011, he was senior vice president of marketing.
