Following last night’s report that CEO Dennis Woodside was leaving Motorola to take up the role of COO at Dropbox, confirmations of the move have now been provided by both Google, the company’s current owners, and Lenovo, Motorola’s new owners.
A Lenovo spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that it was aware of the move: “We are aware of this change, but we are absolutely committed to this acquisition, and remain completely confident in the Google and Motorola leadership team.”
Larry Page also confirmed Woodside’s departure: “”Dennis and the team have reinvented Motorola, with wonderful products like Moto X and Moto G. I wish him all the best with his new big job at Dropbox.”
Jonathan Rosenberg, the former head of product management at Google, will take on the role of Chief Operating Officer at Motorola. He will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the company. Nikesh Arora will remain as Executive Chairman of the Motorola Operating Board to oversee the strategy.
Lenovo acquired Motorola from Google for US$2.91 billion late last month. The acquisition is still pending all of the usual regulatory approvals but we could see a few more executive departures in the coming weeks.
Update: Dennis Woodside has now confirmed his departure with an open letter on the Motorola blog:
At the end of March I will step down from my post as CEO at Motorola Mobility to join Dropbox as COO. This was not an easy decision to make, but I leave knowing that Motorola is in great hands – now and in the future.
In the last 18 months, Motorolans have built two of the company’s best loved phones ever, introduced customization to the industry, brought unprecedented quality and performance to a value-priced smartphone, and created experiences that changed how people use and interact with their smartphones.
It was a reinvention the likes of which many 85-year-old brands could not have achieved. And it was astonishing to be a part of.
I’m excited about what the next chapter in Motorola’s storied history will bring under the new ownership of Lenovo. While Google imbued simplicity and software sensibility into the company, Lenovo will bring it the scale it deserves. I have no doubt the two companies together will be a force for good in the mobile industry.
He will leave Motorola at the end of March with Jonathan Rosenberg to become COO as reported above.