Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has reclaimed his seat on the board of directors.
OpenAI made the announcement today, welcoming Altman back to the board after a period of absence and resignation as CEO.
Joining Altman are three new members: former CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Sue Desmond-Hellmann; ex-Sony Entertainment president, Nicole Seligman; and Instacart CEO, Fidji Simo. This brings the total members on OpenAI’s board to seven.
The temporary board members, formed after Altman’s departure last year, will continue alongside Desmond-Hellmann, Seligman, and Simo. Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor, Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo, Larry Summers, economist and former Harvard president, and Dee Templeton, a Microsoft-appointed board observer, will remain in their roles.
Following criticism for lack of diversity in the board and controversial remarks made by Summers, the appointment of the new members aims to address these concerns. The board’s makeup now reflects a wider range of backgrounds and perspectives.
The new members each bring unique experiences to the board. Desmond-Hellmann, known for her leadership at the Gates Foundation and Genentech, is an oncologist by training. Seligman, with a background in law and corporate leadership, has represented prominent figures and held executive positions at Sony. Simo, previously overseeing Facebook’s app at Meta, also co-founded The Metrodora Foundation.
OpenAI emphasized the new members’ expertise in global organizations, regulatory environments, and technology, stating they will collaborate with existing board members and senior management.
An investigation by WilmerHale found that Altman’s removal was due to a breakdown in trust with the prior board. Despite differing opinions within OpenAI, the decision to expand the board and reinstate Altman was made to strengthen governance and address concerns raised.
In addition to the board changes, OpenAI will implement new corporate governance guidelines, including a whistleblower hotline and additional board committees focused on advancing the organization’s core mission.
