OpenAI COO Brad Lightcap departs to pursue new venture

Brad Lightcap, who joined OpenAI in 2018 and held the CFO post for four years before becoming chief operating officer in 2022, disclosed that he will move on to launch a new initiative. In a message to staff posted online, he described the decision as bittersweet and praised the growth of the various operational groups he helped create. Lightcap, a former colleague of CEO Sam Altman from Y-Combinator, said he has been focusing on the next horizon and will share more soon.

His exit comes amid a broader reshuffle that saw the departure of No. 2 executive Fidji Simo and other leaders such as Bill Peebles and Kevin Weil. The changes occur as OpenAI readies an IPO that could have industry-wide implications.