Nokia appoints P Balaji as VP and MD, India

Nokia India has appointed P Balaji as VP and MD for India. In this role, Balaji will be responsible for growing Nokia's mobile phones and smart devices business in the country while providing strategic direction and operational focus. Besides building and consolidating Nokia's market presence, Balaji will focus on energizing the Nokia brand, driving partnerships and strategic alliances and developing the capabilities of the Nokia organization in India.

"Balaji is highly respected in the IT and telecom industry and has an excellent track record of managing businesses, people, customer and government relationships. He brings in exceptional understanding of the telecom industry having worked in diverse functions across the sector. His experience and leadership make him a strong addition to the India leadership team. I am confident that Balaji will provide the required direction and leadership in delivering significant value to our consumers and partners across India," said D Shivakumar, senior VP, IMEA Nokia.

Balaji brings with him over two decades of experience in the IT and telecom industry. In his previous role as managing director of Sony Mobile Communications, India, he was responsible for growth strategy, establishing strong operator and distribution partnerships and driving sales for the company.

In the last 22 years, Balaji, who is an an electronics engineer from IIT Roorkee and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, has held leadership roles in diverse functions spanning across sales, marketing, product management, operations, strategy, technical solutions, communications and corporate affairs in Ericsson, Lucent Technologies, AT&T and Tata group.