Who was the CEO of Nokia at the time of the iPhone launch in 2007?

Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo was Nokia’s CEO when Apple unveiled the iPhone in January 2007 and when the first iPhone went on sale later that year. Kallasvuo became Nokia’s president and CEO in June 2006, succeeding longtime leader Jorma Ollila.

At the time, Nokia was the world’s dominant mobile-phone maker, with a huge global portfolio and a particularly strong position in Europe and emerging markets. The iPhone initially lacked features such as 3G connectivity, but its multitouch interface, software platform and integrated web experience challenged the assumptions behind Nokia’s traditional handset business.

Kallasvuo publicly treated Apple as a credible but manageable competitor during 2007. He remained CEO until September 2010, when Stephen Elop succeeded him. Rajeev Suri led Nokia later, after the company’s handset business had undergone major restructuring, so he belongs to a much later period.