OpenAI data center head Chris Malone departs as executive exits reach 13 in 2026

Management changes in infrastructure leadership

OpenAI confirmed the departure on 25 August 2026 following reports detailing the executive transition. Chris Malone, the head of data centers at OpenAI, left the company in mid-August 2026 after a 17-month tenure. Malone joined OpenAI in March 2025, bringing technical experience from nearly five years at Meta and more than a decade at Google. His departure follows structural shifts within OpenAI's computing division earlier in the year. Malone previously reported directly to OpenAI president and co-founder Greg Brockman. Following an internal reorganisation, OpenAI placed vice president Sachin Katti in charge of the infrastructure group, shifting Malone into a role reporting directly to Katti.

Division of operational responsibilities

OpenAI restructured Malone's remit across multiple senior leaders rather than naming a single successor for the data center buildout. Sachin Katti oversees the broader infrastructure organisation alongside an appointed chief technology officer dedicated to computing capacity. Specific operational responsibilities are divided among Uday Ruddarraju, who leads the data center team, Brent Mayo, who directs the build and delivery program, and Spas Lazarov, a veteran of the energy and data center industries who leads engineering. OpenAI explained that the internal changes were designed to support the scale and pace of technical work across its operations.

We have a strong, deeply experienced data center team in place, with clear leadership and the technical expertise to execute our plans.

Facility construction and revived leasing push

Malone joined OpenAI shortly after the launch of the Stargate Project, a $500 million data center development initiative championed by the Trump administration. The Stargate initiative operates as a partnership involving OpenAI alongside Oracle, Nvidia, SoftBank, and Microsoft, with its flagship site being built in Abilene, Texas. In parallel with direct construction, OpenAI is reviving initiatives to lease entire existing facilities. Building dedicated sites requires purchasing land, obtaining permits, negotiating power grid connections, and committing to ten-year timelines. In contrast, leasing complete facilities transfers construction risks and counterparty negotiations while securing pre-financed capacity under faster schedules, with separate teams assigned to lead the leasing procurement effort.

Series of senior executive departures in 2026

Malone's departure represents the thirteenth executive exit from OpenAI in 2026, based on an executive departure count tallied by Business Insider. High-level turnover began in April 2026 with the exit of former product chief Kevin Weil. In July 2026, Fidji Simo stepped down after taking medical leave from overseeing core business operations, and the head of safety departed after OpenAI folded safety functions back into general research. Departures accelerated in August 2026 when chief operating officer Brad Lightcap announced his resignation after eight years to pursue a new venture. Two days later, chief revenue officer Denise Dresser was replaced after an eight-month tenure, with OpenAI naming Dali Rajic, former president and chief operating officer of Alphabet-owned Wiz, as the new chief revenue officer.