Ericsson Moves Chief Technology Officer to Australia; No Replacement Named

By Diana ben-Aaron - Dec 12, 2011 3:06 PM GMT+0700

Ericsson AB (ERICB), the world’s largest maker of wireless equipment, said it will name a new chief technology officer early next year to replace Haakan Eriksson, who is moving to run Australian and New Zealand operations.

“The process is ongoing and we expect it to be closed before Feb. 1,” when Eriksson takes his new post, Ola Rembe, a spokesman at the Stockholm-based manufacturer, said in an interview. He declined to comment further on the announcement.

Chief Executive Officer Hans Vestberg aims to get more revenue from the company’s 27,000 patents built up during Eriksson’s period as technology chief. Eriksson became CTO in 2003 and added the job of president of Ericsson Silicon Valley in 2009 to succeed Bert Nordberg, who became CEO of the company’s Sony Ericsson joint venture.

“I have had a desire to move into a more commercial role and for personal reasons to come closer to Australia,” Eriksson, whose wife is from that country, said in today’s statement.

To contact the reporter on this story: Diana ben-Aaron in Helsinki at dbenaaron1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Kenneth Wong at kwong11@bloomberg.net