{
  "id": 7483508,
  "title": "OpenAI hires former Elastic and Snowflake exec Sanjay Deshmukh to lead Asia Pacific sales",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/openai-hires-former-elastic-and-snowflake-exec-sanjay-deshmukh-to",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-15T05:30:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "e27",
    "slug": "e27",
    "url": "https://e27.co/openai-hires-former-elastic-and-snowflake-exec-sanjay-deshmukh-to-lead-asia-pacific-sales-20260915/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "OpenAI has appointed Sanjay Deshmukh as its first Vice President of Asia Pacific sales, a strategic move to shift focus from product launches to enterprise sales in the fast-growing region. Based in Singapore, Deshmukh will lead OpenAI's commercial efforts across the region as more companies adopt AI tools. Deshmukh brings over two decades of enterprise technology experience to OpenAI, having previously held VP roles at Elastic and Snowflake, and long stints at VMware. His appointment comes as OpenAI deepens its commitment to Singapore, signing a memorandum of understanding with the government to establish an Applied AI Lab and invest over SGD300 million in the region. This move positions Deshmukh to navigate the region's diverse languages, procurement norms, data regulations, and digital maturity levels, as OpenAI competes with rivals like Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, and Nvidia.",
  "summary": "OpenAI has appointed Sanjay Deshmukh as its first Vice President of Asia Pacific sales, a hire that signals the ChatGPT maker is moving beyond product launches and into the harder work of building an enterprise sales machine across one of its fastest-growing markets. Based in Singapore, Deshmukh will lead OpenAI’s commercial efforts across the region […] The post OpenAI hires former Elastic and…",
  "key_points": [
    "Sanjay Deshmukh appointed as OpenAI's first Vice President of Asia Pacific sales.",
    "Deshmukh brings 20 years of enterprise technology experience from Elastic, Snowflake, and VMware.",
    "OpenAI strengthens presence in Singapore with AI Lab and SGD300 million investment."
  ],
  "editors_take": "OpenAI's appointment of Sanjay Deshmukh to lead Asia Pacific sales signals a shift in focus from product launches to enterprise sales, as the company deepens its commitment to the region.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Tech in Asia",
        "title": "OpenAI hires first Asia Pacific sales VP in Singapore",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/openai-hires-first-asia-pacific-sales-vp-in-singapore",
        "published": "2026-09-15T01:39:23.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}