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Nokia's Asia Pacific regional office moves to new premises in Singapore
October 08, 1998
- New Nokia House is a Hub of Excellence and Innovative New Technology
(October 8, 1998) - Nokia announced today that it has begun the move into its new regional office at Alexandra Technopark (ATP). This move is expected to be completed early next year, when all Nokia Mobile Phones personnel join their counterparts from Nokia Telecommunications in the new premises. This will bring all Nokia operations in Singapore under one roof.
In a move propelled by the increase in staff strengths to meet industry needs, the new Nokia office is located on the 7th & 8th floors of Alexandra Technopark. Nokia staff who have completed the move to the new office are located on the 7th floor, which covers a total area of over 75,000 square feet. Capable of accommodating almost twice the current number of Nokia personnel, the new premises constitutes a considerable expansion from the combined space of Nokia's two old offices at Wheelock Place and Tai Seng Drive. The new premises will house approximately 270 of Nokia's employees when the move is completed.
"Nokia believes that competitiveness lies in distinctive innovations and the rapid introduction of high quality, cutting-edge technology and services," said Kari Ahola, Senior Vice President, Nokia Telecommunications, Southeast Asia and Pacific. "As part of our continuous efforts to ensure this, Nokia has established The Learning Centre and The Technical Competence Centre in this new regional office. We believe this new office will provide the best environment for enhanced competitiveness."
Philip Yeo, Chairman of the Economic Development Board commented: "I am most pleased with the opening of Nokia's new regional office in Singapore, bringing together the Nokia Mobile Phones and Nokia Telecommunications groups. Singapore has been host to the regional headquarters of Nokia Mobile Phones unit for the past years. Nokia's continued commitment to using Singapore as the regional HQ and to the telecommunications industry in the region is further demonstrated through the creation of the Technical Competence Centre and the regional Learning Centre. Singapore is happy to be able to provide a source of talented telecommunications engineers and professionals for Nokia's expanded operations in the region. Nokia's operations reaffirm Singapore as a choice location for headquarters in South-east Asia and also as a growing telecommunications hub."
Commenting on the move, Nigel Litchfield, Senior Vice President, Nokia Mobile Phones Asia Pacific said, "We are undertaking focused initiatives today which reaffirm Nokia's total commitment to Singapore as the strategic centre for our regional operations. Using Singapore as a springboard, we will continue to work with local country expertise to deliver outstanding products and services to all our customers in the region."
To mark the occasion, Nokia hosted a preview ceremony at its new regional office. The event was hosted by President and Chief Executive Officer of Nokia, Jorma Ollila. Singapore's Minister for Communications, Mr Mah Bow Tan, graced the event as Guest-of-honour.
Nokia's newly announced initiatives on the occasion of the event including The Learning Centre, and its Technical Competence Centre aims to ensure an optimal level of excellence and capabilities from the company to the region.
The Learning Centre will serve as a centre of excellence for skills upgrading for Nokia staff from around the region. With state-of-the-art training facilities, and software, the Centre provides engineering staff with access to the latest information on product, system and technology developments within the industry. To ensure continuous learning and upgrading of skills, the Learning Centre will also host regular classes by the industry's foremost academics.
The Technical Competence Centre will be the information base to more than 100 sales support engineers now working throughout Southeast Asia and Pacific. This new Centre will allow Nokia to use Singapore as a springboard for the introduction and implementation of new technologies into the region, such as High Speed Circuit Switched Data (HSCSD) and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) for mobile cellular operators. This will enable Nokia to provide its customers with speedy access to cutting edge technology, enabling swift introduction of exciting and differentiated services to consumers in the region.
In addition to the two new initiatives, Nokia further announced that it aims to make its regional office an exemplary Wireless Office. The Wireless Office will bring mobility into the corporate environment and gives Nokia employees greater freedom of creativity by allowing features such as multi-call conferencing, remote notification of e-mail, and on-line phone directory through standard GSM phones.
Using Nokia's GSM Intranet Office (GIO) technology - a revolutionary combination of Internet Protocol (IP) technology in GSM networks and server-based mobility management - the Wireless Office will serve Nokia employees anywhere in Singapore, and in the near future anywhere in the world through global roaming for GSM users.
Beyond providing its staff with cutting edge technology and increased space, Nokia has also created within Alexandra Technopark an environment that caters to all the needs of its employees. Within the new office, Nokia's staff can now find time to relax and enjoy life in the fully equipped gymnasium and traditional Finnish sauna. Within the building complex, employees also have access to a cafeteria, banking facilities and medical services.
A leader in the cellular industry in many markets in Asia Pacific, Nokia provides innovative, industry-leading and market-relevant technology and products to about 30 diverse markets in the region.
http://nokia-asia.com.
Nokia is a broad-scope communications company supplying mobile phones, mobile and fixed telecommunications networks, wireless data communications solutions, multimedia terminals and computer monitors. In 1997, net sales totaled FIM 52.6 billion ($9.8 billion). Headquartered in Finland, Nokia is listed on the NYSE (NOK.A), has sales in 130 countries and employs more than 41,000 people worldwide.
Contact information:
Ms. Suguna Madhavan
General Manager, Communications
Nokia South East Asia & Pacific
Tel : +65 380 5267
Fax :+65 380 5266
Mr. Michael Buchholz
Marketing Communications Manager
Nokia Telecommunications South East Asia & Pacific
Tel : +65 377 4615
Fax :+65 377 4717
Mr. Vinod Melwani
Communications Manager
Nokia Mobile Phones Asia Pacific
Tel : +65 380 5269
Fax :+65 380 5266
Constance Tan
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
Tel: +65 277 9561
Fax: +65 278 0706
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