OpenAI is facing another high-profile executive departure, with its former head of data centers, Chris Malone, leaving the company after roughly 17 months in the role. Malone’s exit is drawing particular attention because he was responsible for a crucial part of OpenAI’s infrastructure strategy at a time when demand for AI computing power is surging across the industry.
Malone joined OpenAI in March 2025 after spending nearly five years at Meta and more than a decade at Google. His arrival came shortly after the launch of the Stargate Project, a major data center initiative involving OpenAI, Oracle, Nvidia, SoftBank and Microsoft. The project aims to significantly expand AI infrastructure in the United States, making the leadership of OpenAI’s data center operations especially important.
The reason for Malone’s departure has not been clearly disclosed. OpenAI said it had recently reorganized its infrastructure division to keep up with the “scale and pace” of its work, adding that it has an experienced data center team capable of executing its plans. As part of the restructuring, Malone reportedly stopped reporting directly to OpenAI president Greg Brockman and instead reported to vice president Sachin Katti, who now leads the group.
Malone’s exit, however, is part of a much bigger leadership shake-up at OpenAI. More than a dozen executives have reportedly left the company in 2026, including former chief operating officer Brad Lightcap, chief revenue officer Denise Dresser and senior executive Fidji Simo. The company has also seen departures across its safety, ethics, marketing and product teams, adding to concerns about how the rapid turnover could affect the organization as it continues to expand.
The executive churn comes at a sensitive time for OpenAI as it prepares for a potential public listing. Reports suggest its IPO plans may have shifted from 2026 to 2027, while questions remain about its valuation, profitability and enormous infrastructure spending. OpenAI executives have pushed back against concerns over the departures, arguing that the company receives unusually intense scrutiny. Still, with some of its most senior leaders moving on, the growing turnover is likely to remain a talking point as OpenAI enters what could be one of the most important stages of its growth.
source: techcrunch
