Pieter Knook, head of UK mobile operator Vodafone’s internet services unit, is stepping down, prompting observers to surmise that the group’s interest in the internet services sector has diminished.
A former senior vice president at Microsoft, Nook was…
Pieter Knook, head of UK mobile operator Vodafone’s internet services unit, is stepping down, prompting observers to surmise that the group’s interest in the internet services sector has diminished.
A former senior vice president at Microsoft, Nook was appointed in March 2008 to Vodafone’s newly-formed role of director of Internet Services. The unit was created to oversee a push into IP communications, mobile internet access and other web services for mobile devices.
However, last Thursday Vodafone unveiled the reporting structure of Group Commercial, a new unit that was formed as part of a wider streamlining of the group. Antonio Garcia-Urgeles was appointed group consumer services director of Group Commercial, which will also oversee the Vodafone Internet Services unit.
A Vodafone spokesperson insisted its organisation structure and associated roles are still being finalised, but said: “With those changes in the new commercial structure Pieter Knook … has decided to leave the business.”
The spokesperson added that Knook had “been a major contributor to our strategy of growth in internet services”, which last year saw the group launch Vodafone 360, its latest suite of internet services.
Increasing pressure from major wireless web competitors Apple and Google has since forced Vodafone to scale back its battle to capture this market, reported the Financial Times.
According to the report, in July Vodafone ceased selling its Vodafone 360 handsets, made by South Korean vendor Samsung, because they failed to compete effectively with Apple’s iPhone and handsets with Google’s Android operating system. Instead, Vodafone is scrambling to incorporate the 360 software on as many handsets as it can.
Following news of Knook’s departure, the Vodafone spokesperson insisted: “The strategy for the development of the services remains unchanged – the roll-out of future releases of the 360 services across platforms and handsets continues as planned.”
