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Chris Malone Departs OpenAI as Head of Data Centers Amidst Significant Executive Turnover

Chris Malone, the former head of data centers at OpenAI, has left the company following a reorganization of the infrastructure organization. Malone, who joined the company in March 2025 after roles at Meta and Google, oversaw the company's ambitious infrastructure plans, including a target to spend $600 billion on compute by 2030. The administration announced the Stargate Project, a $500 million data center initiative, which OpenAI is a key partner in. This departure is part of a broader trend of senior executive attrition at OpenAI. The company has seen 13 senior departures in 2026, including Chief Revenue Officer Denise Dresser and longtime executive Brad Lightcap. OpenAI President Greg Brockman has sought to downplay the turnover, noting that the company's high profile means every exit is scrutinized more than in other organizations. These leadership changes occur as OpenAI works to justify an $852 billion valuation ahead of a planned public listing in 2027.

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