Overview
- Lee starts on Tuesday and will report to chief financial officer Sarah Friar, the company said.
- An OpenAI spokesperson said he will have broad visibility across the company and be empowered to move quickly on deals.
- Lee previously led corporate development for Google Cloud and DeepMind and has worked on more than 60 transactions totaling over $50 billion, including the $32 billion Wiz acquisition.
- The appointment extends a leadership buildout that recently added Denise Dresser as chief revenue officer, Torben Severson to head global business development, and Mike Liberatore as business finance officer.
- OpenAI has stepped up deal activity this year, announcing a definitive agreement to acquire Neptune and buying Statsig for $1.1 billion, io for more than $6 billion, and Software Applications Incorporated for an undisclosed sum; The Information first reported Lee’s move.