Microsoft has announced that former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop is leaving the company.
Elop is the current Executive VP of Microsoft’s Devices & Services, having joined the firm when Microsoft bought out Nokia’s mobile division in April 2014.
The move sparked controversy at the time, as Elop received an €18.8 million (£13.4m) bonus after he stepped down as CEO.
Microsoft claims Elop’s departure is part of a reorganisation of company management structure.
“We are aligning our engineering efforts and capabilities to deliver on our strategy and, in particular, our three core ambitions,” explained Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, in an email to employees.
He continued: “
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Elop is due to leave after a “designated transition period”, although it’s not yet clear when he will actually stand down.
It’s also not clear whether Elop’s departure from the company is his own decision, or whether Microsoft has forced him out.
“Stephen and I have agreed that now is the right time for him to retire from Microsoft,” said Nadella, explaining the move.
The CEO added: “I regret the loss of leadership that this represents, and look forward to seeing where his next destination will be.”
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.