UPDATE: Motorola Taps Analyst For Mobile Devices, Home Strategy

14th Jun 2010 23:14

(Updates with additional background, executive comments) By Roger Cheng Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Motorola Inc. (MOT) hired a financial analyst to help shepherd the company's strategy of focusing on the fast-growing smartphone business. The Schaumburg, Ill., company appointed John R. Bucher vice president of strategy for Motorola's mobile devices and home-business units. Bucher will report directly to co-Chief Executive Sanjay Jha. Bucher, 50, comes as Motorola is readying its planned split of the company. The mobile devices and home-business units are slated to break out from the company and form their own business in the first quarter of next year. Motorola opted to tap a financial analyst who has covered the telecommunications, satellite and cable sector, rather than getting an industry veteran. He most recently served as a buy-side financial analyst at Primecap Management Co. and previously served at BMO Capital Markets, where he covered Motorola. The company will be relying on his knowledge of the industry and experience as an outside observer who has had the chance to evaluate technology companies and management teams for 14 years. Motorola is the midst of a transformation of its troubled mobile-devices business, increasing its presence in smartphones at the expense of its portfolio of lower-margin and lower-profile feature phones. The company had a hit out of the gate with the Droid, which received the backing of Verizon Wireless, and has an ambitious plan to roll out several more smartphone this year. The company has strongly embraced Google Inc.'s (GOOG) Android operating system, although Jha has said he is open to using Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) mobile-operating system. Jha eventually wants to take some of its smartphone software and features and integrate it into its cable set-top box business, which it holds a strong position in. Bucher did hold several management positions at Bell Atlantic/Nynex Mobile and PrimeCo Personal Communications, which are both part of Verizon Wireless. The wireless carrier is jointly owned by Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) and Vodafone Group PLC (VOD). He also served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps for 11 years. -By Roger Cheng, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2153; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires June 14, 2010 18:14 ET (22:14 GMT)