David Heard is an American technology executive whose career has been closely associated with telecommunications, networking, and optical communications. He is best known for his leadership at Infinera, where he served as chief executive officer from 2020 until the company became part of Nokia in 2025. He subsequently became a senior leader at Nokia and, as of 2026, serves as President of Network Infrastructure.
Unlike many executives who remain within one specialized area of business, Heard has held leadership positions across several technology companies, including AT&T, Lucent Technologies, Santera Systems, Tekelec, Somera Communications, JDSU and Infinera. His career has therefore spanned multiple stages of the telecommunications industry’s development.
This article looks at David Heard’s education, professional career, leadership roles, connection with Infinera and Nokia, and what is publicly known about his personal background.
David Heard at a Glance
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | David Heard |
| Birth year | 1968 |
| Nationality | American |
| Current position | President of Network Infrastructure, Nokia |
| Previous major role | CEO, Infinera |
| Infinera CEO tenure | 2020–2025 |
| Education | Ohio State University, University of Dayton, Stanford Graduate School of Business |
| Industry | Telecommunications and networking |
| Based in | Dallas, Texas |
The biographical information above is based primarily on Nokia’s official leadership profile and its corporate announcements.
Who Is David Heard?
David Heard is a longtime telecommunications executive with more than three decades of experience in the technology industry. His professional background includes executive positions in networking, communications infrastructure, software, optical networking and related technology businesses.
His career is particularly notable because it connects several generations of telecommunications technology. Before becoming CEO of Infinera, Heard held senior roles at companies involved in communications infrastructure and networking. His experience eventually led him to Infinera, a company specializing in optical networking technology.
Nokia identifies Heard as an American executive born in 1968. The company currently lists him as President of Network Infrastructure, one of its major business areas.
David Heard’s Education
Heard has an academic background combining business management and operations with advanced management education.
According to Nokia, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Production and Operations Management from The Ohio State University. He later completed an MBA at the University of Dayton. He also earned a master’s degree in Management Science through the Sloan program at Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
This combination of operations, business administration and management education reflects the nature of his later career. His professional roles have generally involved not only technology but also organizational leadership, corporate strategy, operations and business development.
David Heard’s Early Career
Heard began his professional career in the telecommunications and technology sector, eventually developing experience at major companies including AT&T and Lucent Technologies.
Nokia’s official biography lists Heard as having held a vice president role in the Access division at AT&T from 1990 to 1996. He subsequently held various positions at Alcatel-Lucent, including general manager and vice president of its Wireless business, from 1996 to 2000.
These positions gave him experience in large-scale communications businesses before he moved into senior leadership roles at smaller and more specialized technology companies.
Leadership at Santera Systems
From 2000 to 2003, Heard served as President and CEO of Santera Systems. The company operated in the telecommunications infrastructure sector.
His time at Santera was an important stage in his progression toward broader executive responsibility. After Santera, he became President of the Switching Systems division at Tekelec, a telecommunications technology company. Nokia’s career history lists this role as running from 2003 to 2004.
These positions placed Heard in increasingly senior roles involving technology products, business operations and corporate growth.
CEO of Somera Communications
In 2004, Heard became President and CEO of Somera Communications. He remained in that position through 2006.
Somera specialized in services associated with telecommunications infrastructure. During this period, Heard continued building his experience as a chief executive while working within an industry undergoing significant technological and commercial changes.
His earlier experience at AT&T, Lucent, Santera and Tekelec provided a foundation for managing businesses serving telecommunications operators and technology customers.
Career at JDSU and Dell
After Somera, Heard continued working in the technology industry.
Nokia’s official biography states that he served as President of Network and Service Enablement at JDSU from 2010 to 2015. JDSU was a major provider of technology and equipment used across communications and networking markets.
Between 2015 and 2016, Heard worked with Dell as an executive consultant focused on cloud service providers. This added another dimension to his professional experience as the technology industry increasingly moved toward cloud computing and large-scale data infrastructure.
Joining Infinera
David Heard joined Infinera in 2017. He initially held senior positions before becoming the company’s Chief Operating Officer in 2018.
As COO, he was responsible for a wide range of operational activities. His responsibilities included areas such as operations, research and development, product lifecycle management, facilities, information technology, human resources, marketing, corporate development and quality.
Optica, the international society for optics and photonics, described Heard as having more than 25 years of technology-industry leadership experience when it profiled him during his time at Infinera.
David Heard as Infinera CEO
Heard became CEO of Infinera in November 2020. He also served on the company’s board.
During his tenure, Infinera remained focused on optical networking technologies used by telecommunications providers, enterprises and data-center-related customers. Optical networking became increasingly important as demand for high-capacity connectivity and data infrastructure expanded.
His tenure as CEO lasted until Infinera was acquired by Nokia in 2025.
Nokia completed its acquisition of Infinera in February 2025. Following the transaction, Heard joined Nokia’s Network Infrastructure business as Chief Strategic Growth Officer. Nokia said that he would help develop and oversee growth plans, including customer-segment strategies and product and market priorities.
David Heard and Nokia
David Heard’s relationship with Nokia represents the latest major stage of his telecommunications career.
In June 2025, Nokia announced that Heard would become President of its Network Infrastructure business, effective July 1, 2025. He also joined Nokia’s Group Leadership Team.
As President of Network Infrastructure, Heard leads a major part of Nokia’s business. Nokia’s current leadership profile identifies him as the President of Network Infrastructure and lists his career history within the company and Infinera.
Nokia’s organizational changes also placed Network Infrastructure at the center of its strategy for areas such as optical networks, IP networks and fixed networks. The company stated that the segment would continue to be led by Heard following its organizational restructuring that took effect in 2026.
What Does David Heard Do at Nokia?
As President of Network Infrastructure, Heard’s responsibilities are connected to some of the technologies that form the foundation of modern digital communications.
Network infrastructure includes technologies and systems that help carry data between users, businesses, data centers and communications networks. Optical networking is particularly important because fiber-optic systems can transmit very large quantities of information over long distances.
Heard’s background at Infinera is directly relevant to this area. Infinera was known for optical networking technology, and Nokia’s acquisition brought Infinera’s business and expertise into Nokia’s broader Network Infrastructure organization.
His role therefore builds upon the work he had already been doing in optical communications rather than representing a complete change in professional direction.
David Heard’s Board and Industry Experience
Heard has also held several board and industry positions during his career.
Nokia’s official biography lists him as a board member of Penguin Solutions in 2026. It also records earlier board involvement with Motion Intelligence, the Telecommunications Industry Association, Milestone Sports and Zyvex Performance Materials.
These positions demonstrate that his professional activities have extended beyond his executive responsibilities at individual telecommunications companies.
David Heard’s Personal Life
Compared with his professional career, relatively little personal information about David Heard has been published by authoritative sources.
Publicly available professional biographies focus primarily on his work in telecommunications and technology, while Nokia’s official profile provides information about his education and career rather than details about his family or private life.
For that reason, claims about his family relationships, residence, hobbies or other private matters should be treated cautiously unless they come from a reliable source or from Heard himself.
This distinction is important because there are several people named David Heard. One is David C. Heard, an actor born in Dallas in 1950 who has appeared in productions including Machete Kills and Overhaulin’. That individual is different from the technology executive born in 1968 who leads Nokia’s Network Infrastructure business.
Why David Heard Is Significant in the Technology Industry
David Heard’s career is notable for its breadth and longevity.
He has worked through several major transformations in telecommunications, moving from traditional telecommunications companies and infrastructure businesses toward cloud-related services and advanced optical networking.
His career has included both operational and strategic responsibilities. He has worked as a chief operating officer, chief executive officer, business-unit leader and corporate board member.
His transition from Infinera to Nokia is particularly significant because it links his leadership experience with one of the major transactions in the optical networking industry. Nokia’s acquisition of Infinera brought the two organizations together and placed Heard in a senior position within Nokia’s Network Infrastructure business.
Frequently Asked Questions About David Heard
How old is David Heard?
Nokia lists David Heard’s birth year as 1968. That makes him 58 years old in 2026.
What is David Heard’s current job?
David Heard is the President of Network Infrastructure at Nokia. Nokia’s current leadership information identifies him in that position.
Was David Heard the CEO of Infinera?
Yes. Heard served as CEO of Infinera from 2020 until the company’s acquisition by Nokia in 2025.
What did David Heard do before Infinera?
Before joining Infinera, Heard held senior positions at companies including JDSU, Dell, BigBand Networks, Somera Communications, Tekelec, Santera Systems, Lucent Technologies and AT&T.
Where did David Heard study?
Heard studied at The Ohio State University, the University of Dayton and Stanford University Graduate School of Business. His degrees include a BA in Production and Operations Management, an MBA and a master’s degree in Management Science.
Is David Heard the same person as the actor David C. Heard?
No. The technology executive David Heard was born in 1968, while actor David C. Heard was born in 1950 in Dallas, Texas. The actor is known for appearances including Machete Kills and Overhaulin’.
Conclusion
David Heard has built a long career in telecommunications and technology, progressing from early positions at AT&T and Lucent Technologies to senior leadership roles at companies including Santera Systems, Somera Communications, JDSU and Infinera.
His most prominent recent role was CEO of Infinera, where he led the company before its acquisition by Nokia in 2025. Following the acquisition, he joined Nokia and was subsequently appointed President of Network Infrastructure.
With an academic background in operations and management and decades of experience across telecommunications and networking, Heard’s career reflects the evolution of the communications industry from traditional telecom infrastructure toward cloud, optical networking and increasingly data-intensive digital networks.
Because several public figures share the name David Heard, readers should distinguish the Nokia executive from other individuals with the same name, including actor David C. Heard.
