Motorola sues Mike Zafirovski over Nortel appointment

Motorola sues Mike Zafirovski over Nortel appointment

It sounds very much like the case between Microsoft and Google over an employee changing companies but at a much higher level. The world’s second largest maker of mobile phones Motorola has apparently sued their former president Mike Zafirovski after he accepted a job at the competitors Nortel Networks Corp. as their CEO. The case has been filed in the city of Chicago and claims that it violates an employment agreement with Motorola.

Motorola says that as per their agreement with Mike, he cannot just leave the company to go ahead and work with another telecommunications company. They are now demanding from the courts that he should be barred from working for Nortel for two years. However, the lawsuit does not involve Nortel unlike the case involving Microsoft and Google.

Zafirovski has a reputation in the market for turning around Motorola’s image in the mobile phone market. However, he quit as president and chief operating officer in January after being passed over for the chief executive post. He is scheduled to join Nortel as their CEO from the November 15. Nortel said in a statement over this interesting development: “Nortel and Zafirovski are currently reviewing the lawsuit and intend to pursue discussions with Motorola with a view to resolving the dispute over Zafirovski’s appointment”.

Motorola on their part commented: “We take these matters seriously and we will do what’s necessary to protect the company”.