For 19 years, Anssi Vanjoki was employed at Nokia, working his way up the then-world-beating company to join the manufacturer's executive board in 1999. When Nokia's CEO stepped down in 2010, Vanjoki was in charge of the company's entire smartphone division, and many believed he was set to become CEO. Instead, Microsoft's head of Business Stephen Elop was installed as CEO, and Vanjoki swiftly resigned his position. The Verge asked Vanjoki for his opinion on the Nokia sale, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, he's not impressed.

Echoing comments he made to Finnish press, Vanjoki tells The Verge in an emailed statement that the situation is "shameful, but unavoidable." He believes that the sale represents a "complete failure" of Nokia's regeneration strategy and it's implementation. "Nokia was not able to make it work. For Finland's sake, I hope Microsoft will."

"... Shameful, but unavoidable. This is a complete failure of chosen strategy and its implementation. Nokia was not able to make it work. For Finland's sake I hope Microsoft will."

T. Anssi Vanjoki

Sent from my Vertu