OpenAI data center chief Chris Malone departs amid executive exodus

Published Aug 25, 09:50 PM UTC

OpenAI's head of data centers, Chris Malone, has left the company, CNBC confirmed, marking the latest in a series of high-profile executive departures. Malone joined OpenAI in March 2025 after working at Meta and Google, and oversaw ambitious infrastructure plans targeting $600 billion in compute spending by 2030. An OpenAI spokesperson stated the company recently reorganized its infrastructure organization to support its scale and pace. Malone's exit comes amid growing political backlash against data centers in the US, with the National Republican Senatorial Committee warning data centers are a 'sleeper issue' for the midterm elections. Other recent departures include revenue chief Denise Dresser, longtime executive Brad Lightcap, and product chief Fidji Simo. The executive shakeups have surprised some investors as OpenAI prepares for a massive IPO, with CFO Sarah Friar telling employees the company will go public in 2027. President Greg Brockman downplayed concerns, saying the scrutiny is due to OpenAI's high profile.