OpenAI has appointed Albert Lee, a long time senior director of corporate development at Google, as its new vice president of corporate development, the company confirmed on Monday.
Lee, who begins his role on Tuesday, will report directly to OpenAI’s chief financial officer, Sarah Friar. An OpenAI spokesperson explained that the hire aims to bring in a senior leader with extensive company-wide insight and the authority to act swiftly on opportunities.
During his tenure at Google’s parent company Alphabet since 2011, Lee oversaw corporate development for Google Cloud and DeepMind, while also heading the strategy and scouting team. According to his LinkedIn profile, he has spearheaded more than 60 deals, including acquisitions and strategic investments valued at over $50 billion in total.
Lee additionally serves on the advisory board of CapitalG, Alphabet’s independent growth fund, which has backed high-profile companies like CrowdStrike and Airbnb.
The move was first reported by The Information earlier on Monday.
This appointment continues OpenAI’s recent streak of high-profile hires to bolster its executive team. Last month, the Microsoft-backed AI company recruited Torben Severson, a former Amazon executive, as vice president and head of global business development. In September, it brought on Mike Liberatore, previously the finance chief at Elon Musk’s xAI, as its business finance officer.
The addition of Lee underscores OpenAI’s focus on strengthening its capabilities in mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships amid intense competition in the AI sector.
