Nokia names former Infinera chief David Heard to lead network infrastructure business
NEW DELHI: Finnish telecom gear maker
Nokia
has elevated
David Heard
, the former chief executive officer (CEO) of
Infinera
, as the president of its
network infrastructure
(NI) business unit, under a group leadership revamp.
Heard currently serves as the chief strategic growth officer of Nokia's NI business, and will take on the new role on July 1, 2025. He will replace
Federico Guillén
, who is retiring on December 31, 2025, after a five-year tenure, and stepping down from his role as president of the division and from the group leadership team on June 30, 2025.
Heard will report to Nokia's President and CEO,
Justin Hotard
, and will be based in Dallas.
Nokia successfully closed the acquisition of Infinera earlier this year in a $2.3-billion deal, to better compete against rivals such as the US's Ciena and Chinese Huawei.
'I want to thank Federico for his exceptional leadership and contribution to Nokia. As the first President of Network Infrastructure, he has been instrumental in building a high-performing and profitable business with a strong customer focus, helping to position the business for long-term growth,' said Hotard.
'David has a proven track record of scaling businesses and driving innovation, and he brings a deep expertise of hyperscalers and AI-optimized solutions to the business. I'm confident he is the right leader to take Network Infrastructure forward,' he added.
In addition, Victoria Hanrahan will join Nokia's group leadership team as chief of staff to the president and CEO, effective immediately.
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