Symbian appoints Chief Executive Officer

March 14th 2002 - The Supervisory Board of Symbian announces today that it has appointed David Levin as Chief Executive Officer. The appointment takes effect from 8th April 2002.

Symbian is creating a mass-market for Symbian OS mobile phones. David Levin will lead Symbian through the commercial roll-out of its technology and launch of new commercial products from its licensees.

Mike Zafirovski, President of Motorola's Personal Communications Sector, said: "David Levin is an excellent choice to lead Symbian as market acceptance and momentum for the Symbian OS build. David is a seasoned executive with a solid understanding of the opportunities in our industry. As Symbian continues to roll out world-class OS solutions, David will provide the guidance and vision necessary to continue to build the organisation into a world-class software provider."

David Levin said: “I am delighted to be joining Symbian as it enters a new phase in its development and to take up the baton from Colly Myers who has made such an important contribution to the development of Symbian and its world-leading technology. Two thirds of the industry have chosen Symbian OS as the standard operating system for their advanced 2.5G and 3G mobile phones. I look forward to working with Symbian’s shareholders and licensees to help fulfil Symbian’s enormous potential.”

David Levin is currently Chief Executive Officer of Psion PLC. He has been a non-executive director of Symbian since September 2000. He joined Psion as Chief Executive in February 1999 after five years with Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC, where he was Chief Operating Officer from 1996-1999. Before that, he spent four years with Apax Partners and five years with Bain & Co. in Asia and the United States.

Symbian’s shareholders are Ericsson/Sony Ericsson (21%), Matsushita/Panasonic (8.9%), Motorola (21%), Nokia (21%) and Psion (28.1%). In January 2002 Symbian announced that it had secured additional funding of £20.75 million from its shareholders to take the company through the next phase of its development.

Symbian has secured mobile phone manufacturers representing over 70% of the world’s market as Symbian OS licensees, focused on delivering Symbian OS phones. Recent product announcements based on the Symbian OS include the Nokia 9200 Communicator series, the Nokia’s 7650 imaging phone and Sony Ericsson’s P800 smartphone.

Symbian

Symbian is a software licensing company, owned by wireless industry leaders, that is the trusted supplier of the advanced, open, standard operating system for data-enabled mobile phones. Symbian's mission is to create a mass-market for Symbian OS mobile phones by enabling our licensees to build winning products. Open Symbian OS phones announced by licensees include the Nokia 9200 Communicator series, the Nokia’s 7650 imaging phone and Sony Ericsson’s P800 smartphone.
Symbian

David Levin biographical details

David Levin, aged 40, joined Psion as Chief Executive in February 1999 after five years with Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC, most recently as Chief Operating Officer and previously as President, Institutional Investor Inc. based in New York. Before that, he spent four years with Apax Partners and five years with Bain & Co. in Asia and the United States.

He graduated from Oxford University in 1983 and was awarded an MBA from Stanford University in 1987.

David Levin was born in 1962 and is a British national. He is married with three children.

Media Enquiries

David Potter (Chairman) Thomas Chambers (CFO) Symbian +44 20 7563 2000 press@symbian.com	Chris Barrie, Duncan Murray Financial Enquiries Citigate Dewe Rogerson +44 20 7638 9571 press@symbian.citigatedr.co.uk
David Levin Chief Executive Officer (from 8th April 2002) Symbian Ltd. +44 20 7317 4150