Justin Hotard, EVP/GM of Intel’s Knowledge Middle and AI Group, is leaving the corporate after a yr to grow to be CEO and president of Nokia.
Hotard started his place at Intel in February of 2024 and reported on to former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, who left the corporate two months in the past and has been changed by two interim co-CEOs, Michelle Johnston Holthaus and David Zinsner.
As not too long ago as final October, Hotard (at proper in picture) recognized himself at an Intel occasion as “an HPC man,” having beforehand served as common supervisor of HPC and AI at HPE, the fruits of an eight-year tenure at that firm. Intel’s hiring of Hotard final yr was referred to as “an enormous coup” in a CRN article.
Intel, in the meantime, not too long ago introduced one other change to its product line roadmap for GPUs, a expertise that has bedeviled the corporate for no less than the previous six or seven years. As well as, Intel has been rumored to be an acquisition goal.
Immediately on his LinkedIn profile, Hotard mentioned, “I’m thrilled to share the information of my appointment to President and CEO of Nokia, starting 1 April 2025. From cell phones, to networks, to now main the superior connectivity that permits AI and cloud, Nokia has a singular heritage of innovation and reinvention. I’m excited to steer Nokia into its subsequent chapter of innovation, progress, and worth creation.”
He added, “I need to thank Sari Baldauf (chairperson of Nokia) and the Board for entrusting me with this chance and look ahead to getting began.”
Hotard brings greater than 25 years of expertise firm expertise to Nokia. Previous to Intel and HPE, Hotard held senior positions at NCR Company.
Hotard shall be based mostly at Nokia’s headquarters in Espoo, Finland.
Present Nokia CEO Pekka Lundmark will step down on March 31, 2024 after practically 5 yers as chief government to pursue new alternatives. He’ll serve in an advisory function to Hotard till the tip of this yr. Nokia mentioned Hotard’s goal with the corporate is to drive Nokia’s progress in knowledge facilities and AI.
“I’m delighted to welcome Justin to Nokia,” mentioned Baldauf. “He has a powerful monitor report of accelerating progress in expertise firms together with huge experience in AI and knowledge middle markets, that are crucial areas for Nokia’s future progress. In his earlier positions, and all through the choice course of, he has demonstrated the strategic perception, imaginative and prescient, management and worth creation mindset required for a CEO of Nokia.”
