It’s not a good time for Sony Ericsson at the moment. There are rumors that Ericsson might want out of the joint venture into handsets, no carrier is interested in its smartphone, and it’s anticipating a huge loss next quarter as handset demand drops. And now the head of its North American operations, Najmi Jarwala, is leaving the company at the end of this month. Executive VP Anders Runevad will replace him on an interim basis.
In a statement, Dick Komiyama, president of Sony Ericsson, said:
"Under Najimi’s leadership we have redefined our North American strategy, built operational excellence, and strengthened our total presence considerably in this very important market. We are sad to see him leave Sony Ericsson after more than three successful years, but at the same time we wish him all the best for his future."
Although things look bleak, Information Week reports that the company is hoping to enjoy a renaissance through entertainment, with new services offering movies, music, and games for handsets, as well as camera phones that will allow users to upload directly to sharing sites like Flickr.