President Donald Trump plans to nominate Michael Kratsios as the US' chief technology officer, filling a role that's been vacant since the beginning of the Trump administration, the White House said Thursday.

The nomination would be a promotion for Kratsios, who's served as deputy US CTO and deputy assistant to the president at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy since January 2017. Before joining the Trump administration, Kratsios was a principal at Thiel Capital, an investment management firm.

Kratsios has played a key role in directing government action to develop technologies such as artificial intelligence and 5G wireless networks.

The CTO is part of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and advises the administration on topics such as technology and innovation. The position was created by the Obama administration in 2009, but it's been vacant since Megan Smith's departure when Trump was sworn in as president in January 2017.

The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.