Fidji Simo Departs OpenAI
On July 10, at 09:02, Fidji Simo is leaving her role at OpenAI because of health issues. She will transition to a part-time advisory position. Simo joined OpenAI's board in 2024 and served as the CEO of applications starting in May 2025. Her departure forces Sam Altman to find a successor, as the company also considers an initial public offering.
Simo first disclosed her health struggles in April, when she had to take leave due to a relapse of a neuroimmune disease. Since her appointment, Simo's role reported directly to Sam Altman. Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap, Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar, and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Weil began reporting under Simo's leadership. Recently, Brad Lightcap moved to a new position focused on special projects, while Chief Marketing Officer Kate Rouch left the company to focus on her cancer recovery.
Fidji Simo's Career Journey
Fidji Simo joined OpenAI from Instacart, where she served as CEO from 2021 and led the company through its IPO in 2023. Previously, Simo spent over a decade at Meta, including managing the Facebook app. At OpenAI, she became part of the executive team, which includes Sam Altman, Brad Lightcap, Sarah Friar, co-founder Greg Brockman, and Denise Dresser. Denise Dresser joined OpenAI in December as Chief Revenue Officer, having previously served as CEO of Slack.
OpenAI was recently valued at $852 billion, and although ChatGPT's growth slowed late last year, the company continues to explore an IPO. As Sam Altman noted,
“I am very sad about this, and I am deeply grateful for everything Fidji has done for OpenAI, and even grateful for her friendship and for who she is as a person. We all wish her a speedy recovery.”
Fidji Simo's departure from the CEO of applications role highlights the challenges OpenAI faces amid internal leadership changes and IPO preparations. Given her prior experience at Instacart and Meta, Simo was a key figure in the company's development. Her resignation opens up new opportunities for the company to find a new leader who can continue executing its growth and innovation strategy. At the same time, the health and well-being of corporate executives remain important factors for business stability.