OpenAI’s Communications Chief Hannah Wong to Exit in January

• Key Takeaways:
• OpenAI chief communications officer Hannah Wong will leave the company in January.
• OpenAI confirmed the move; an executive search for a replacement is underway.
• Lindsey Held, VP of communications, will lead the team temporarily; CMO Kate Rouch is running the search.
• Wong helped navigate OpenAI’s growth and the 2023 Sam Altman “blip.”

What happened

OpenAI announced that Hannah Wong, its chief communications officer, will depart the company in January. The exit was announced internally and confirmed publicly by OpenAI spokesperson Kayla Wood.

Official statements

In a joint statement, Sam Altman and Fidji Simo praised Wong’s contributions: “Hannah has played a defining role in shaping how people understand OpenAI and the work we do.” They thanked her for bringing “clarity to complex ideas” and wished her well.

Wong’s role and impact

Wong joined OpenAI in 2021 as the organization scaled from a research lab into a consumer-facing company. She became chief communications officer in August 2024 and expanded the communications team as ChatGPT and related products gained massive adoption.

Managing crises and growth

She was widely credited within the company for leading communications through the 2023 leadership disruption—internally called “the blip”—when CEO Sam Altman was briefly ousted and then rehired. Colleagues say her work helped stabilize public messaging during that turbulent period.

Who will run communications now

OpenAI says Lindsey Held, the company’s vice president of communications, will lead the communications team on an interim basis while the company conducts an executive search. The search is being led by OpenAI’s chief marketing officer, Kate Rouch, whose title was clarified by the reporting outlet.

Wong’s next steps

In a draft LinkedIn post shared with reporters, Wong said she’s grateful for the chance to tell OpenAI’s story and to introduce ChatGPT and other products to the world. She wrote she plans to spend more time with her husband and children as she decides her next professional chapter.

What to watch

The role is pivotal for OpenAI as it navigates regulatory scrutiny, product launches, and public discussions about advanced AI and alignment. The executive search will be closely watched for whether OpenAI opts for an external hire or promotes from within the growing communications leadership bench.