Nokia, the world's largest mobile phone supplier, has appointed a head of brand management from Coca-Cola as part of the Finnish handset maker's attempt to reverse its slide in market share.
Mr Keith Pardy, a 45-year-old Canadian who has worked for the US soft drink producer for 17 years, is vice-president of global brands for non-cola products such as Fanta, Sprite, Powerade and Dasani.
He will join a company struggling to rejuvenate its product range and image after a series of misses which have allowed rivals to challenge its global dominance.
Nokia ignored the trend towards 'clamshell' phones and was slow to introduce mid-range camera phones.
Its market share has fallen from 38 per cent in 2003 to 31 per cent in the second quarter this year, with some analysts putting the figure below 30 per cent.
Experts say the company could be suffering from brand fatigue, partly a symptom of its own success and the high level of penetration in some segments.
Nokia was the most valuable non-US brand in 2003, according to BusinessWeek/Interbrand's annual ranking, although it slipped two places on the previous year to eighth position.
Rivals such as Samsung and Motorola both gained, while Coca-Cola was the number one brand in the world. - (Financial Times Service)
