In the same period, Nievert has cut Telia's employee roster by 25%, to 22, 500.

FORBES: Taking on Telia

"She was pushed onto the hot seat, " says a Telia executive who requested anonymity.

FORBES: Taking on Telia

The big buzz is about Telia's ambitions to acquire Finland's ailing Sonera mobile group, Denmark's TDC or both.

FORBES: Taking on Telia

One obvious problem lies in the Swedish government's 71% stake in Telia and the Finnish government's 53% holding in Sonera.

FORBES: Taking on Telia

Sweden's Telia subscribers with WAP phones, for instance, can bank online, book railway tickets, use the yellow pages and view news briefs.

CNN: Cell phones aren't just for gabbing

Six weeks after Nievert succeeded Jan-ke Kark, Telia failed to win a licence in its home market to supply third-generation (3G) mobile-phone services.

FORBES: Taking on Telia

Instead of paying large sums for the license and the infrastructure, Telia has a 3G joint venture with Tele 2, a license-winning competitor, thus sharing the risk.

FORBES: Taking on Telia

Nievert is the only CEO of a major telecom operator with more than a quarter of a century of executive experience in the industry (she's been with Telia for 37 years).

FORBES: Taking on Telia

When Nievert took over, Telia had been floundering.

FORBES: Taking on Telia

This is opening the door to disrupters such as Comviq, in Sweden, which has taken 39% of market share away from the incumbent, Telia, by offering half as many handset features and radically simpler pricing plans.

ECONOMIST: Stand by for a spot of creative destruction