OpenAI Loses Data Center Chief as Executive Departures Pile Up
OpenAI loses Chris Malone, its head of data centers, as the company's string of high-profile executive departures continues. Malone, a veteran of nearly five years at Meta and more than a decade at Google, joined OpenAI in March of last year, making his tenure notably short. His exit draws particular attention because he oversees execution of OpenAI's data center strategy, one of the most closely watched roles at any AI lab amid the industry-wide infrastructure buildout frenzy.
Malone joins OpenAI shortly after the launch of the Stargate Project, a $500 million data center initiative championed by the Trump administration to develop data centers in the U.S., with OpenAI serving as a key partner alongside Oracle, Nvidia, SoftBank, and Microsoft. The reason for his departure remains unclear. In a statement, OpenAI says it recently reorganized its infrastructure organization to support the scale and pace of its work, and maintains that a strong, deeply experienced data center team remains in place. Following the reorganization, Malone stops reporting directly to president Greg Brockman and instead reports to vice president Sachin Katti, who takes over leadership of the group.
Malone's exit brings OpenAI's executive departure count for 2026 to at least 13, according to a tally by Business Insider, with several leaving in just the last month. The departures hit some of the company's most senior seats: two weeks ago, OpenAI replaces chief revenue officer Denise Dresser after only about eight months, and just two days earlier, the company loses Brad Lightcap. With roles spanning data centers, revenue, and longtime leadership, the turnover raises ongoing questions about stability at the top of one of AI's most prominent companies.