Nokia Appoints New President of Mobile Infrastructure

Nokia is giving its Mobile Infrastructure business a new leader as telco networks face mounting pressure to support AI workloads, automation and the next phase of 5G and 6G development.

The Finnish vendor has announced the appointment of Emma Falck as President of Mobile Infrastructure and member of the Nokia Group Leadership Team, with the role taking effect on 1 September 2026.

Nokia’s Mobile Infrastructure unit covers areas including core software, radio networks and technology standards.

Emma joins from Siemens, where she currently serves as Executive Vice President, Products, Smart Infrastructure Buildings.

The appointment lands at a time when vendors are racing to position networks as AI-ready platforms.

Therefore, Emma’s experience in connected devices, software and automation is welcomed by Nokia's CEO and the telco infrastructure business.

AI and telco networks

Nokia frames the move around the growing overlap between AI systems and telco infrastructure.

Telco operators are expected to support AI applications that require low latency and large-scale data processing across mobile and fixed networks.

Justin Hotard, President and CEO of Nokia, says: “I’m delighted to welcome Emma to Team Nokia.

“As AI moves toward physical AI, networks need to become AI-native by design for both 5G Advanced and 6G.

“Our focus in Mobile Infrastructure is clear: To help our customers succeed by building a software-led infrastructure business that leverages open interfaces, standards and a rich partner ecosystem to accelerate innovation.

“Emma brings broad transformation experience, operational leadership and a fresh perspective from global businesses that use technology to enable automation.

“She is the right leader to take MI into this new chapter.”

Nokia, along with other major network vendors, positions software as central to how operators manage network capacity and service delivery.

The company highlights open interfaces and standards, an area which continues to shape operator buying decisions as telco groups seek more flexibility across multivendor environments.

Emma's career history: from smart buildings to mobile infrastructure

Much of Emma’s experience comes from outside the traditional telco sector, although her background sits within connected technology and industrial systems.

At Siemens, she leads a global organisation spanning product management, development and supply chain operations for smart infrastructure buildings.

Her earlier roles include senior strategy positions at Siemens focused on building automation, software and connected devices.

Before Siemens, Emma served as a Partner and Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group and also held senior leadership roles at KONE. She holds a PhD in Computational Physics from Aalto University.

A focus on execution and AI delivery

Emma says operators now expect vendors to deliver technology roadmaps with greater speed and reliability as AI requirements reshape network planning and operations.

“I’m excited to join Nokia at a pivotal moment for our customers and the industry,” she says.

“As networks evolve to support new AI-driven demands, customers need partners who can deliver with speed and predictability, and turn technology roadmaps into real-world performance.

“Mobile Infrastructure’s breadth across core software, radio networks and technology standards is a solid foundation.

“I look forward to working with the team to strengthen our execution, embed AI into our development and delivery processes, and bring the next wave of innovation to our customers.”

From her starting date in September, Emma will be based in Espoo, Finland. She will report directly to Nokia’s President and CEO, Justin Hotard.

Nokia’s newest appointment signals Nokia’s continued focus on software-led infrastructure, AI integration and operational automation as the industry moves deeper into the 5G Advanced era and begins laying groundwork for 6G networks.