Nokia reshuffles global marketing team as Chris Leong takes China role

SINGAPORE - Finnish mobile giant Nokia has announced a senior-level marketing overhaul, with Chris Leong, the brand's global marketing chief, set to take over as head of the Nokia Greater China, Japan and Korea sales unit.

Nokia reshuffles global marketing team as Chris Leong takes China role
Leong will continue to be based in Beijing.

Loren Shuster, the current head of marketing for Southeast Asia-Pacific, will replace Leong as head of GTM (go-to-market) operations - the title given to Nokia’s senior worldwide marketer.

Shuster will relocate to Nokia’s headquarters in Helsinki. He will be replaced by Will Harris, the current head of marketing for Nokia in the UK.

The three promotions will take effect from 1 January.

Prior to taking on his current role Shuster was vice-president of sales at Nokia for sub-Saharan Africa and general manager at Nokia Taiwan. He has also worked as director of the entertainment and media business unit at Nokia Mobile, Asia-Pacific.

In addition, Bryan Easton, the former head of Lowe Singapore, is believed to be taking on the role of global head of sponsorship. A Nokia representative could not confirm Easton’s appointment as Media went to press.

Prior to her global role, Leong headed up the marketing for Nokia China, and before that held senior roles at a number of creative agencies.

This year Leong oversaw a protracted global media agency review, eventually won by Carat. At the time, several agencies in the review complained that the proces was purely price-driven. Leong denied those accusations, arguing that the goal was to find an agency able to “evolve our touchpoint strategy and elevate our digital capabilities”.

One senior source close to the brand said Leong’s promotion to heading up Nokia’s business in China - now one of its biggest markets globally - was a “terrific recognition of what she has achieved.”

The source added that the challenge for the brand in the market was to sustain growth both in the emerging smartphone sector and in the traditional handset business.

In August, Microsoft announced it was to partner with Nokia to bring its Office software to a line of Symbian smartphones, aimed at gaining a foothold in the mobile business market currently dominated by Research in Motion - manufacturer of the BlackBerry.


 

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