Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced the appointment of Nishant Batra, a proven technology leader with broad global experience, as Chief Strategy and Technology Officer and member of the Group Leadership team, effective from January 18, 2021.

Nishant joins Nokia from Veoneer in Sweden, a worldwide leader in automotive technology, where he was Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. Prior this role he held several positions at Ericsson over twelve years in Sweden, India and the US, most recently as Head of Product Area Networks. He has extensive experience with complex systems based on cutting-edge silicon technology and both embedded as well as cloud-based software.

“I am delighted to welcome Nishant to Nokia at a pivotal time for our company," says Pekka Lundmark, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nokia. "He is a proven leader bringing with him a wealth of experience from technology to telecoms, as well as deep knowledge of our core CSP customers, the enterprise sector, and the emerging trends in the global market. His track record of developing innovative new products and successfully taking them to market make him a fantastic addition to our team.”

"I’m honored to be part of Nokia. This isn’t just about joining a company that has a fantastic portfolio, it’s also about the pride of being associated with such an iconic brand,” says Nishant Batra. “The telecommunications industry is an exciting place to be at the moment with 5G now really taking off, and Nokia is right at the heart of it. The company has the true potential to work with diverse customer groups in the market and I see that we can make a significant impact over the long term. My personal ambition will be to ensure that Nokia is strategically positioned to win and that Nokia Bell Labs continues to be seen as the pinnacle of innovation.”

Nishant holds an MBA from INSEAD, a master’s degree in telecommunications and a master’s degree in computer science from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and a bachelor’s degree in computer applications from Devi Ahilya University in India.

Nishant will be based initially in Espoo, Finland, after which he will move to the US. He will report to Nokia’s President and Chief Executive Officer Pekka Lundmark.