I worked for Nokia between 1998-2013 in different roles in the networks business. It was a transformational learning experience, like a second business university after the first one. There were so many things I was able to experience but perhaps the most significant was observing how Nokia approached the emerging markets: with respect.

The idea that you could make good money by selling to poor people in emerging markets while not ripping them off but actually improving their lives was a crucially important motivator for me. Even though I wasn’t personally involved in that business, I was really proud of Nokia doing this when no-one else among the big players in the sector was.

Even in general, I have always liked the fact that the telecommunications sector is improving people’s lives by

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Five years ago, I adopted an Australian Shepherd from Aussie Rescue & Placement Helpline (a national rescue group) and shortly after adopting, I started fostering for them. When we bring in a new foster dog, they always get a new name. Dogs don’t have any special affinity for their names and they can easily learn to respond to a new one. In the past, most of my foster dogs have been named after places I have lived. Seneca, Slater, Manhattan, Verona, etc. But sometimes, a special foster dog deserves a special name. A name that really fits.

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I joined Nokia in Australia in 1994. This was when there were only around 13,000 employees globally at the time. I had been working with an engineer from one of the local operators and he was testing Mobile Originated SMS using the only phone at the time that supported it, the 2110. He gave a couple of us within the office access to the system and he said just go for it and they will monitor the results.

During my first trip to Finland for a sales conference, I decided to see if SMS roaming would work so I sent my colleague who was visiting Auckland at the time a text message. Lo and behold, I got a reply and the conversation carried on for around 40 minutes especially after the 2110 product manager saw what I was doing and grabbed a couple more guys to witness what could have been the first global SMS conversation by 2110.

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Nokia showed me the good in people, allowed and engouraged me to learn and challenge myself, and trusted me to do well.

I got to meet and know amazing people, see the world and be part of an amazing Nokia family. No matter where you landed, for a year or just for couple of days, you were among friends. It really was a mother ship with it´s own

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