Nokia taps ex-Infinera CEO to lead AI network push

Nokia said Monday it has appointed David Heard, the former chief executive of Infinera, as the new president of its Network Infrastructure business group, effective July 1.

Heard joined the Finnish telecommunications equipment maker following its acquisition of optical networking company Infinera in February 2025 and will succeed Federico Guillén, who is set to retire at the end of the year.

"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," Nokia President and CEO Justin Hotard said in a statement.

"I’m confident he is the right leader to take Network Infrastructure forward," Hotard added.

Heard, who was most recently the unit's Chief Strategic Growth Officer, will join Nokia's Group Leadership Team and report to Hotard.

Guillén will step down from the leadership team on June 30 and work with Heard to ensure a smooth transition, the company said.

Nokia also announced that Victoria Hanrahan, formerly of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, will join the Group Leadership Team as Chief of Staff to the President and CEO, effective immediately.