Head of South East Europe: João Picoito

Head of South East Europe Region, Nokia Siemens Networks

• Leading Nokia Siemens Networks’ business in South East Europe
• Leadership Team Member of Customer Operations West
• Over 20 years of management experience in the telecommunications industry

João Picoito is the head of South East Europe region at Nokia Siemens Networks and has more than 20 years of managerial experience in the telecommunications industry.

In his current position, he is managing the company’s operations in a region, stretching from Portugal to Israel and Slovakia to Greece. João is responsible for strengthening customer business relations as well as developing new business opportunities in this highly diverse and competitive telecommunications market. João is also responsible for the European Railways business as well as global support for Railways solutions of Nokia Siemens Networks.

João graduated from the Technical University of Lisbon with an M.Sc degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences in 1987. He has also undertaken an Advanced General Management Program at the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin, run in partnership between the Harvard University (USA) and the Humboldt University in Berlin. In addition, he pursued an Executive Leadership Program from Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina (USA), in partnership with Siemens AG.

Throughout his career, João has also been involved in several industrial activities and initiatives and is currently the President of the Center for Competitiveness in IT, Communications and Electronic Technologies. He has been felicitated with several awards for his contribution to innovation and the development of the Information Society in Portugal. In 2004, he was elected the ‘Personality of the Year’ for his contribution to this area. Later, in 2006, he was awarded the title ‘Commander of the Order of Merit in Agriculture, Commerce and Industry’ in the Industrial Merit class by Dr. Jorge Sampaio, the president of Portugal. In 2007, he was awarded the degree Honoris Causa by the University of Aveiro. João used to write an opinion column in the Expresso newspaper in Portugal for several years.

In his free time, he teaches in the Economics Faculty of the Technical University of Lisbon.