Dorothy Ooko to Google EA? Nokia's spokesperson says Sayonara.

Ooko at the iHub

Is Dorothy Ooko leaving Nokia for Google? The Nokia spokesperson for East, Central and Southern Africa and the public face of the handset vendor for many years wrote us an email yesterday saying she was moving on but did not say to where.

Here's the text of the email:

Dear friends, partners and collaborators,

One of my greatest passions is the continent of Africa and being able to provide services that transform the lives of its people. I am glad to have been able to do this at Nokia.

However after almost 5 years at Nokia it is time for me to move on. I am still privileged that l will be able to continue doing what l am passionate about in a different company and serving the people of Africa.

Thank you all for all your support and cooperation while at Nokia. I sincerely hope we will continue to work together as l turn the page to begin another chapter in my life.

My number will remain the same. I will send you an update of my work email once I have it.

Many thanks and kind regards

The Google Angle

Contacted by phone, Dorothy would not say where she was moving to promising to update us in about a week or two's time.

"I'm not saying anything," Ooko told us when we tried to get her to confirm on phone that she was indeed moving to Google.

But Nairobitech can almost authoritatively conclude that it is Google she is moving to.

For starters, the company has been looking for a Communications Officer for the last year or so. A number of PR types and Business/ICT scribes have been interviewed and given regrets by the Google Africa Comms, Julia Taylor.

Secondly, we spotted Dorothy at the Google G Kenya 2011 event two weeks ago. That is very strange given that Google is trying to grow its Android Apps store at the same time Nokia is trying to grow Ovi Store.

She was quite keen to know how the press sessions could have been improved but we didn't pick up on it then.

She says she has been serving notice and had to wait for GM Ken Oyolla to come back to the country to inform his staff before she made public her departure.

Nairobitech learnt that Ooko will still be in the technology field and since Google has been looking hard for a Comms Officer and Dorothy fits the bill/ She is also fluent in French and knows the region like the back of her hand, it seems like an effortless transition.

She will be one of several additions Google has made at its Kenyan office including the appointment of Olga Arara from Safaricom as country head.

For those interested, Oooko's position at Nokia is open and they are searching for a replacement. Break out your  CVs.

We welcome Dorothy to Google and congratulate her on the move.