Stephen Elop

Date of Birth: December 31, 1963

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

Biography

Stephen Elop is a Canadian businessman known for his executive roles in major global tech companies. Born in Ancaster, Ontario, Elop attended McMaster University, earning a degree in computer engineering and management. His career began at IBM, but he soon moved to Lotus Development Corporation, where he played a crucial role. He gained prominence during his time at Macromedia and later Adobe, where he was instrumental in the company’s growth and success. Elop’s most notable tenure was as the CEO of Nokia from 2010 to 2014. During his leadership, he made the controversial decision to transition Nokia’s operating system to Windows Phone, eventually leading to Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia’s mobile phone business. After leaving Nokia, Elop joined Microsoft as the Executive Vice President of the Devices & Services division, where he was pivotal in the development and launch of various Microsoft hardware products.

5 Interesting Facts about Stephen Elop

1. Stephen Elop was the first non-Finnish CEO of Nokia.

2. He oversaw the launch of the Nokia Lumia series, which was one of the first smartphones to use the Windows Phone operating system.

3. Before joining Nokia, Elop served as the President of the Microsoft Business Division, where he contributed to the development of Microsoft Office.

4. Elop’s decision to transition Nokia’s operating system to Windows Phone was often dubbed the “Burning Platform” memo, a metaphor he used to describe Nokia’s dire need for change.

5. After his tenure at Nokia, Elop held a brief stint at Telstra, an Australian telecommunications company, as Group Executive of Technology, Innovation, and Strategy.