SCHAUMBURG, IL – Motorola announced today that chief executive Ed Zander will step down, effective Jan. 1. Chief operating officer Greg Brown will be his replacement.
 
Zander will continue to serve as chairman until the annual meeting of stockholders in May, after which time, he says he plans to spend more time with his family.
 
Some shareholders had been calling for Zander's removal, as the company’s earnings struggled against Nokia and Samsung Electronics.
 
Zander will continue to serve as strategic advisor to the CEO and as a non-officer employee through Jan. 5, 2009, Motorola said.