Top Intel man takes over as Nokia president and CEO

Intel data boss Justin Hotard wil be Nokia’s new president and CEO from April 1 taking ober from Pekka Lundmark.

Hotard, 50, most recently served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Intel’s Data Center and AI Group, overseeing AI integration across diverse sectors. Prior to this, he held senior roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise from 2015 to 2024, where he led teams focused on advanced AI capabilities, addressing complex, data-intensive challenges. He also directed Hewlett Packard Labs, driving applied research and innovation.

Hotard is a US citien and was also  President of the Global Small Business Cloud Platform at NCR Corporation, where he  scaled the cloud-based point-of-sale business, significantly boosting subscription revenue.

“Nokia’s legacy of innovation and its commitment to shaping the future of connectivity are truly inspiring,” said Hotard. “I look forward to working with the talented Nokia team to drive growth, technological advancement, and value for our stakeholders”, he said

Lundmark will support Nokia during the transition period.

“I am delighted to welcome Justin to Nokia. He has a strong track record of accelerating growth in technology companies along with vast expertise in AI and data centre markets, which are critical areas for Nokia’s future growth. In his previous positions, and throughout the selection process, he has demonstrated the strategic insight, vision, leadership and value creation mindset required for a CEO of Nokia,” said Sari Baldauf, Chair of Nokia’s Board of Directors.

“Pekka joined at a difficult time in Nokia’s history. Under his tenure, Nokia has re-established its technology leadership in 5G radio networks and built a strong position in cloud-native core networks. Network Infrastructure has delivered growth and significant profit improvement, and Nokia has secured the longevity of its patent licensing business. At the same time, Nokia has built strong foundations in new growth areas, refreshed the company’s brand and culture, transformed its operating model and rebalanced its portfolio.”