HMD Global appoints ex-Nokia, Rovio executive as CMO

The CEO of HMD Global, the company working to bring the Nokia name back into the mobile device market, said the Finnish brand continues to enjoy strong consumer recognition and that consumers are excited about the return of the name to the handset sector.

 

Arto Nummela made the comments as the company announced that Pekka Rantala, the former CEO of Angry Birds game developer Rovio, has taken up the position of chief marketing officer at HMD Global to oversee the return of the Nokia brand.

 

“Branding has become a critical differentiator in mobile phones, and 96% of global mobile phone users are familiar with the Nokia brand, our unique asset,” Nummela said.

 

In addition to his experience at Rovio, Rantala brings 17 years of experience at Nokia’s mobile device business to the HMD Global table. The executive has also worked at a number of consumer goods businesses, and most recently was chairman of Jot Automation, which provides services to the global electronics industry.

 

Rantala said the Nokia brand still has “the power to touch hundreds of millions of people every day,” and that he is privileged to “engage with the millions of dedicated Nokia phone fans around the world and create a generation of new ones.”

 

One of the first orders of business is for HMD Global to “bring together a new team of talented people who can build something incredible,” Rantala added.

 

HMD Global announced in May that it had signed a 10-year strategic licensing deal with Nokia Technologies granting it sole use of the Nokia brand for mobile devices globally. The agreement also covers access to essential cellular patents.

 

The company plans to invest US$500 million (€443 million) into the Nokia-brand device business over the next three years. The company also agreed a separate deal with Microsoft granting it the right to produce Nokia-branded feature phones through 2024.

 

So far, HMD Global has announced plans to produce smartphones and tablet PCs based on the Android operating system. The devices are due to be manufactured and distributed by Foxconn Technology subsidiary FIH Mobile, with HMD Global handling sales and marketing.