Nokia Here's CEO Steps Down After A Few Months On The Job

Michael Halbherr has stepped down as CEO of Nokia Here, the Finnish firm’s mapping and location-based services division, after just a few months in the role.

He had been with Nokia for eight years and on its leadership team for three, but he only took the Here CEO spot on 1 May this year.

Finland-based Nokia says that Halbherr will be replaced in an interim position by Cliff Fox, who is an SVP in Here’s Core Map Group.

The changes take effect on September 1, and the company is searching for a permanent Here head "immediately."

As part of the deal Halbherr is also stepping down from Nokia’s Group Leadership Team as well, the company says. It was a short-lived CEO tenure — he was only appointed to the role at the end of April, after the Microsoft close. Before that, he’d been an EVP for the division. Here’s slogan may be "maps for life," but as for the jobs, maybe no so much.

It’s not clear what led to the change. Halbherr himself describes it as a time for him to focus on "entrepreneurial activities."

"It has been a pleasure and honour to work with remarkable and smart people during my time at Nokia and Here," he said in a statement. "I am proud that we have been able to create a leading location cloud company widely recognized across industries, by customers and by opinion leaders. Now the time is right for me to focus once again on entrepreneurial activities. I wish the team the best of success for the future."

Rajeev Suri, President and CEO of Nokia, in a statement said, "I would like to thank Michael for his leadership, passion and achievements during his eight years with Nokia. He has played a key role in making Here one of the strongest players in its sector, with a depth and breadth that is unique. He leaves with my best wishes and the gratitude of all of Nokia."

Suri himself was appointed CEO at the same time as Halbherr was made CEO of Here.