{
  "id": 10443146,
  "title": "At OpenAI, a 9-month search raises questions about the CCO’s place at the table",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/at-openai-a-9-month-search-raises-questions-about-the-ccos-place-at",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-28T12:06:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fortune",
    "slug": "fortune",
    "url": "https://fortune.com/article/openai-cco-communications-officer-search-executive-recruitment/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "OpenAI has been without a chief communications officer for nine months, leaving questions about the role's importance in the company's decision-making process. The position was vacated when Hannah Wong stepped down in January after nearly five years with the company. Despite the company's recent controversies surrounding AI safety, security, regulation, a legal battle with Elon Musk, and concerns about its involvement with the Pentagon, a suitable candidate has yet to be appointed. OpenAI's potential IPO and growing public unease about AI have intensified the urgency of finding the right person to help navigate these challenges. Fortune's Emily Forlini reports that despite having Uber's Jill Hazelbaker as their top choice, the company's internal recruiters were unable to secure the position. OpenAI has brought in executive search firm Daversa Partners to assist, but the company has emphasized that they are taking their time to find the right candidate and are not rushing the process. A key challenge may lie in determining the CCO's reporting structure, as the company is still grappling with whether the position should report to president and co-founder Greg Brockman or the chief marketing officer, who has also been vacant since April. The debate highlights the complexity of assigning the right role and level of influence for such a critical position. The next CCO at OpenAI could be expected to advise leadership on matters such as regulators, investors, employees, customers, and customer communication, all while attempting to explain AI to an increasingly skeptical public. Bill Margaritis, a former FedEx communications leader, suggests that a seasoned CCO should be a key player at the table, helping to identify risks and guide leaders through potential pitfalls. This role, often overlooked, has become increasingly crucial for OpenAI, as CEO Sam Altman has acknowledged the industry's poor record in explaining AI's benefits to ordinary people. Altman also emphasized that misunderstandings regarding OpenAI's approach to safety could indicate that the company failed to communicate effectively. The nine-month search for a CCO underscores the significance of this role and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding its placement within the leadership hierarchy at OpenAI.",
  "summary": "OpenAI has operated without a chief communications officer for nine months.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}