OpenAI has been searching for a new chief communications officer for nine months. The vacancy opened after Hannah Wong, the company's first CCO, departed in January 2026. Since her exit, the position has been filled on an interim basis by Lindsey Held Bolton and Chris Lehane.
The communications department at OpenAI has expanded significantly, growing from approximately eight employees at the time of the ChatGPT launch to more than 50 staff members across multiple regions today. Despite this growth, the company has yet to secure a permanent leader for the division.
The search process has faced internal changes, including the departure of Kate Rouch, who previously led the recruitment effort. This vacancy persists amid broader executive turnover at the firm throughout 2026, which included the appointment of a new chief revenue officer in August.
OpenAI currently serves over one billion weekly active users. Without a permanent CCO, the company's external communications are being managed by a committee, while competitors such as Anthropic, Google DeepMind, and Meta AI maintain permanent leadership in their respective communications operations.
