27th Apr 2011 09:15
Nokia / Miscellaneous 27.04.2011 10:15 Dissemination of a UK Regulatory Announcement, transmitted byDGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nokia CorporationStock exchange releaseApril 27, 2011 at 11.15 (CET +1) Espoo, Finland and New York, US - Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and Accenture (NYSE: ACN)today announced plans for a strategic collaboration in which Nokia wouldoutsource its Symbian software activities and transition about 3,000 employeesto Accenture. At the same time, Accenture would provide mobility softwareservices to Nokia for future smartphones. The collaboration, which is subject to final agreement, calls for Accenture toprovide Symbian-based software development and support services, with theexpected transition of about 3,000 Nokia employees to Accenture. The companiesexpect completion of the final agreement during summer 2011, and expect thetransition of employees by the end of the calendar year 2011. Transitioningemployees, located in China, Finland, India, United Kingdom and the UnitedStates, will initially work on Symbian software activities for Nokia. Overtime, Accenture and Nokia will seek opportunities to retrain and redeploytransitioned employees. This collaboration also includes plans for Accenture to provide mobilitysoftware, business and operational services around the Windows Phone platformto Nokia and other ecosystem participants. Under the proposed agreement,Accenture would become a preferred partner for Nokia's smartphone developmentactivities, as well as a preferred provider of services. 'Mobility is a key area for Accenture,' said Marty Cole, chief executive,Accenture Communications and High Tech group. 'This collaboration with Nokiawill enhance our ability to help clients across multiple industries leveragemobility to advance their business agendas. It is a real win-win for Accentureand Nokia'. 'This collaboration demonstrates our ongoing commitment to enhance our Symbianoffering and serve our smartphone customers,' said Jo Harlow, executive vicepresident for Smart Devices, Nokia. 'As we move our primary smartphone platformto Windows Phone, this transition of skilled talent to Accenture shows ourcommitment to provide our Symbian employees with potential new careeropportunities.' Accenture and Nokia have been working together since 1994. In October 2009,Accenture acquired Nokia's professional services unit that provides engineeringand support of the Symbian operating system to mobile device manufacturers andservice providers, and which then served as a key building block in Accenture'sMobility services portfolio. About AccentureAccenture is a global management consulting, technology services andoutsourcing company, with more than 215,000 people serving clients in more than120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilitiesacross all industries and business functions, and extensive research on theworld's most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to helpthem become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generatednet revenues of USD21.6 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2010. Itshome page is www.accenture.com. Accenture is focused on enabling its clients to achieve breakthrough growththroughout the rapidly changing mobile ecosystem. The Accenture MobilityServices group offers five mobility services including consulting, softwareservices--applications, software services--devices and platforms, managedservices, and business integration services. These are designed to helporganizations embrace business to employee (B2E), business to consumer (B2C),business to business (B2B) and machine to machine (M2M) business opportunities.Accenture offers mobility and embedded software services across a wide range ofindustries and platforms, including Symbian, WinMo (Microsoft Windows(r) Mobile),Windows Phone, Android?, Blackberry(r), iPhone(r), Java?, Linux, Meego?. About NokiaNokia is committed to connecting people to what matters to them by combiningadvanced mobile technology with personalized services. More than 1.3 billionpeople connect to one another with a Nokia, from our most affordablevoice-optimized mobile phones to advanced Internet-connected smartphones soldin virtually every market in the world. Through Ovi (www.ovi.com), people alsoenjoy access to maps and navigation on mobile, a rapidly expanding applicationsstore, a growing catalog of digital music, free email and more. Nokia's NAVTEQis a leader in comprehensive digital mapping and navigation services, and NokiaSiemens Networks is one of the leading providers of telecommunicationsinfrastructure hardware, software and professional services globally. DisclaimerAccenture and Nokia have entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent. Theplanned partnership remains subject to negotiations and execution of thedefinitive agreements by the parties and there can be no assurances that thedefinitive agreements would be entered into. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTSExcept for the historical information and discussions contained herein,statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statementswithin the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,including, without limitation, A) the plans for a strategic collaborationbetween Nokia and Accenture and the related proposed agreement and its terms(referred to below as the 'transaction'); B) the timing and expected benefitsof the planned transaction, including expected operational and financialbenefits of the transaction to either of the parties or their employees, C) theplan to seek opportunities to retrain and redeploy employees being transitionedand D) any statements preceded by 'believe,' 'expect,' 'anticipate,' 'foresee,''target,' 'estimate,' 'designed,' 'plans,' 'will' or similar expressions Thesestatements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number ofrisks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results todiffer materially from those expressed or implied. Forward-looking statementsare based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove to beaccurate. Risks, uncertainties and other factors that might cause actualresults to differ from those expressed or implied include, but are not limitedto risks that: 1) Accenture and Nokia will not be able to agree on definitivedocumentation for the strategic collaboration or close the planned transactionin the time period anticipated, or at all; 2) the planned transaction might notachieve the anticipated benefits for Accenture or for Nokia or the employeesbeing transitioned to Accenture, including the plans to seek opportunities toretrain and redeploy these employees; 3) Accenture's results of operationscould be negatively affected if Accenture cannot expand and develop itsservices and solutions in response to changes in technology and client demand;4) Nokia's results of operations could be negatively affected if Nokia cannotcontinue to serve its Symbian customers in the same or in an improved mannerthan before the planned transaction; 5) Nokia's results of operations could benegatively affected if it was not able to maintain the viability of its currentSymbian smartphone platform, including but not limited to the targeted levelsof sale of Symbian products; 6) Accenture's growth and ability to compete maybe adversely affected if Accenture cannot attract, retain and motivateemployees or efficiently utilize their skills, including those personnelcurrently employed by the Nokia unit; 7) the risks, uncertainties and otherfactors discussed under the 'Risk Factors' heading in Accenture's most recentannual report on Form 10-K and other documents filed with or furnished to theSecurities and Exchange Commission as well as 8) the risk factors specified onpages 12-39 of Nokia's annual report Form 20-F for the year ended December 31,2010 under Item 3D. 'Risk Factors.' Statements in this press release speak onlyas of the date they were made. Other unknown or unpredictable factors orunderlying assumptions subsequently proving to be incorrect (including, withoutlimitation, assumptions regarding the number of transitioned employees likelyto be redeployed and the financial assumptions underlying the structure andeconomic terms of the transaction) also could cause actual results to differmaterially from those in the forward-looking statements. Accenture or Nokiaundertakes no duty to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statementsmade in this news release or to conform such statements to new information,future events, actual results or changes in Accenture's or Nokia'sexpectations, except to the extent legally required. Media Enquiries: NokiaCommunicationsTel. +358 7180 34900Email: [email protected] AccenturePress OfficeTel. +358 2057 26049Email: [email protected] www.nokia.comNews Source: NASDAQ OMX 27.04.2011 DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: EnglishCompany: Nokia FinlandPhone: Fax: E-mail: Internet: ISIN: FI0009000681Category Code: MSCLSE Ticker: 0HAFSequence Number: 780Time of Receipt: Apr 27, 2011 10:15:03 End of Announcement DGAP News-Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------UK-Regulatory-announcement transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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