OpenAI’s chief communications officer, Hannah Wong, announced internally on Monday that she will be leaving the company in January, according to WIRED. OpenAI spokesperson Kayla Wood confirmed her departure in a statement.
“Hannah has played a defining role in shaping how people understand OpenAI and the work we do,” said CEO Sam Altman and CEO of applications Fidji Simo in a joint statement. “She has an extraordinary ability to bring clarity to complex ideas, and to do it with care and grace. We’re deeply grateful for her leadership and partnership these last five years, and we wish her the very best.”
Wong joined OpenAI in 2021 when it was still a relatively small research lab. Since then, she has led the communications team as ChatGPT evolved into one of the largest consumer products globally. She was crucial in managing the company’s reputation during the PR crisis related to Altman’s brief ouster and rehiring in 2023, a situation referred to internally as “the blip.” Wong stepped into the chief communications officer role in August 2024 and has worked to expand the company’s communications team since taking on that role.
In a drafted LinkedIn post shared with WIRED, Wong announced that OpenAI’s VP of communications, Lindsey Held, will take the lead of the communications team until a new chief communications officer is appointed. OpenAI’s chief marketing officer, Kate Rouch, is currently leading the search for Wong’s replacement.
“These years have been intense and deeply formative,” Wong stated in the LinkedIn post. “I’m grateful I got to help tell OpenAI’s story, introduce ChatGPT and other incredible products to the world, and share more about the people forging the path to AGI during an extraordinary moment of growth and momentum.”
Wong also expressed her excitement about being able to spend more time with her husband and kids as she contemplates the next chapter in her career.
Update: 12/15/2025, 7:30 pm EDT: WIRED has clarified Kate Rouch’s title.
