Today Nokia announced that Marko Ahtisaari, Senior VP of Design, has been appointed Executive VP of Design, and a member of the Nokia Leadership Team, as of February 1, 2012. Ahtisaari, son of former Finnish President Martii Ahtisaari, will continue to lead the Nokia team, responsible for the design of all Nokia products. He has lead the team since 2009, when Nokia acquired Dopplr, an online business travelling start-up he co-founded. They’ve been behind the creation of many critically acclaimed products including the Nokia N9 (and its Swipe UI), the Nokia Lumia 800 and the more recent Nokia Lumia 900.
He reports directly to Nokia CEO, Stephen Elop, who said that one of the key differentiators of Nokia is the elegant and head-turning design of their products and as they have charted their new course, Marko Ahtisaari has ensured that they elevate the importance of distinctive design, which is evident in the industry’s response to their award-winning Lumia and Asha products. By appointing him to the Nokia Leadership Team, they believe his influence will ensure that design leadership becomes part of everything they make and also everything they do. He’ll continue to oversee and play an active roll in the design process.
