Nokia has announced the departure of Lorna Gibb, its Chief People Officer (CPO) and member of the Group Leadership Team, effective June 26, 2025.
Lorna, who joined Nokia in 2020 and was appointed CPO in June 2024, is stepping down to pursue another opportunity.
Her exit marks a significant leadership transition at a time when Nokia is navigating a complex global talent landscape and accelerating its transformation agenda.
In the interim, Esa Niinimäki, Nokia’s Chief Legal Officer, will assume Lorna’s responsibilities while the company initiates a global search for her successor.
A Five-Year Journey of People Transformation at Nokia
During her five-year tenure at Nokia, Lorna played a pivotal role in evolving the company’s people strategy.
She focused heavily on talent development, leadership programs, and enhancing organizational agility.
Her leadership played a key role in aligning HR practices with Nokia’s transformation agenda.
This was especially critical as the company repositioned itself as a B2B technology innovation leader.
In a heartfelt LinkedIn post, Lorna reflected on her journey, stating, “After over 5 years at Nokia, it’s time to turn the page on a truly special chapter.”
She added, “Being Nokia’s Chief People Officer, leading and transforming the people function has been one of the greatest privileges of my career.”
Nokia is currently placing greater emphasis on workforce agility, leadership pipeline development, and strategic talent alignment.
Her departure coincides with this critical phase as the company strives to stay competitive in the global tech ecosystem.
Interim Leadership and Succession Planning
With Lorna’s exit, Esa Niinimäki will temporarily oversee the people function.
Esa, who has served as Nokia’s Chief Legal Officer, brings deep institutional knowledge and leadership experience to the interim role.
Nokia has initiated a formal recruitment process to find a permanent successor. The new leader will be expected to carry forward the company’s ongoing HR transformation.
Nokia’s leadership transition is drawing close attention from industry observers.
Its HR strategy is considered a vital enabler of the company’s ambitions in network innovation, AI-driven services, and cloud infrastructure.
Context: Nokia’s Broader Transformation Journey
Nokia has been undergoing a significant transformation in recent years.
The company has shifted its focus from being a traditional telecom equipment provider to becoming a B2B technology powerhouse.
Nokia is investing heavily in AI-powered networks, open architectures, and cloud-native solutions.
The company is also prioritizing sustainability and intellectual property monetization through innovations from Nokia Bell Labs.
In this context, the role of the Chief People Officer is central to ensuring that Nokia’s workforce is future-ready, diverse, and globally aligned.
Lorna’s contributions to Nokia’s people strategy have been widely acknowledged. Her departure marks the start of a new chapter in the company’s HR evolution.
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