Motorola appoints senior mobile-device division managers
Motorola's new structure is meant to give managers more control over all aspects of products under development, including the five software platforms on which the company's products are based.
By Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor -- EDN, April 18, 2008
In an effort to streamline its troubled mobile-devices division and stem the loss of senior managers before the planned spin-off of the unit next year, Motorola Inc has named a new group of executives to oversee the hardware and software teams working on its different products, according to a report today in the Wall Street Journal.
Since the beginning of 2007, Motorola has laid off approximately 10,000 workers in an effort to hold the company in one piece.
The new structure is meant to give managers more control over all aspects of products under development, including the five software platforms on which they are currently based. Motorola has not announced a reduction in the number of platforms, which analysts say has hindered the rollout of new phones, the WSJ reported.
Senior VP of mobile devices and former head of cell phones aimed at the mass market Rob Shaddock has been named head of consumer products for the group and is tasked with overseeing managers developing all handsets except those aimed at business users.
Also, John Cipolla has been promoted to senior VP for mid- to high-tier products, including products with multimedia and music function, while corporate VP Steve Lalla will oversee teams focused on mass-market phones.
In addition, Motorola has given responsibility for ensuring the company's cell phones match its overall strategy and are being directed at the right market to Todd DeYoung, a corporate VP who headed strategy and business development for the group.
Two months ago, Motorola CEO Greg Brown assumed direct control of the mobile-devices division in an effort to speed development of new phones in the midst of steep cost cuts, layoffs and poor morale.
The company is set to report its Q1 financial results next week, and has seen its global market share drop 10 percentage points in the past year.
Motorola spokeswoman Jennifer Erickson told the WSJ that the changes will provide an enhanced ability to help execute on a product-led recovery and attract and retain top talent, including a new CEO for the mobile-devices business.
Motorola did not respond to Electronic News' request for comment.
Meanwhile, even though North America is still a weak spot for Motorola phone rival Nokia, the communications giant reported sales and profit gains for its Q1 this week.
In other Motorola news, last week, the company announced that its board of directors has elected David Dorman, a former AT&T executive, to serve as non-executive chairman of the board, succeeding Ed Zander, the company’s current chairman and former CEO, who will continues in the position until Motorola’s May 5 annual shareholders meeting. Zander announced plans to step down in November 2007 after several lackluster quarterly financial reports and pressure for management changes from the company’s second largest stockholder Carl Icahn mounted. Officially, however, Zander said he decided to end his tenure at Motorola to spend more time with his family.
