OpenAI just announced some major changes to its top team. Fidji Simo, the head of product and business, is taking a medical leave to focus on her health. She shared a memo with her coworkers on Friday explaining that her chronic illness, known as POTS, has worsened. After a very difficult month, she realized she could no longer push through the pain while handling such a high-pressure job.
Simo joined OpenAI in May after serving as the CEO of Instacart. She admitted that she had been skipping important medical tests and treatments just to stay focused on her new role. While she tried to stay at her desk every single day, she eventually hit a wall. She now plans to take several weeks off to try new medical interventions and get her health back on track.
She is not the only leader at the company facing a serious health battle. Marketing chief Kate Rouch is also stepping away to focus on her recovery from late-stage breast cancer. Rouch received her diagnosis about a year and a half ago, right when she started at OpenAI. She tried to lead the marketing team while going through intense chemotherapy, but she recently decided she had reached her limit.
The company is reshuffling its staff to keep things running. President Greg Brockman will take over Simo’s product responsibilities for now. As for Rouch, the company is searching for a permanent replacement, though she might return to a smaller, less stressful role in the future once she feels better.
There are other big moves happening in the office too. Brad Lightcap, who served as the Chief Operating Officer, is moving into a brand-new role focused on “special projects.” He will now report directly to CEO Sam Altman. Most of his old duties will go to Denise Dresser, the company’s chief revenue officer, who will now handle the bulk of the business operations.
Despite these sudden changes, OpenAI says it is still moving full speed ahead. A spokesperson mentioned that the company now has nearly a billion users and is focused on growing its business and finishing new research. They believe the remaining leadership team is strong enough to keep the momentum going while their colleagues take the time they need to heal.
