Nokia Oyj chief executive officer Pekka Lundmark said the Finnish networks maker plans to stand clear of geopolitics as the technology industry increasingly is thrust into trade and political conflicts.[ESPOO] Nokia Oyj chief executive officer Pekka Lundmark said the Finnish networks maker plans to stand clear of geopolitics as the technology industry increasingly is thrust into trade and political conflicts.
Mr Lundmark, who took the reins at Nokia on Aug 1, is finding his footing in a tense situation that pits China - and Nokia's rival Huawei Technologies - against the US and other governments moving to ban the Chinese supplier from their fifth-generation mobile networks. "I think it would be a big mistake if individual businesses would start to drive their political agenda," he said in an interview on Friday."It's very important that businesses play it straight and stay where they should stay. We do not have a political agenda, we are a pure business."
US President Donald Trump's administration has been pressuring allies against using Huawei's equipment, which it argues could pose a danger to network security. Huawei has forcefully and repeatedly denied these allegations. Huawei isn't the only Chinese tech firm targeted: on Thursday, Trump moved to ban Chinese-owned TikTok and WeChat social media apps.
Huawei's troubles have brought some business Nokia's way, the company said last month. The US and the UK have signalled they're considering some form of aid to Nokia and its Swedish competitor, Ericsson AB, to ensure competition in the supply of 5G gear.