The company appointed Hotard as it moves to diversify and search for new growth areas outside of its traditional telecom operator market.

His sudden exit leaves another top job vacant at Intel as the chipmaker continues a prolonged search for a new CEO.

Finland's Nokia on Monday said Pekka Lundmark would step down as CEO, and that it has appointed Justin Hotard to take over his role. Hotard, who will take up the position on April 1, is currently the executive vice president and general manager of Data Center & AI Group at Intel,

The head of Intel’s artificial-intelligence operations is leaving to take the top job at Nokia, just months after former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger abruptly retired from the company. Justin Hotard, the executive vice president and general manager of Intel’s Data Center and AI Group,