OpenAI Names Uber President Jill Hazelbaker Chief Corporate Affairs Officer After Months-Long Search

OpenAI has hired Jill Hazelbaker as chief corporate affairs officer, ending a search that began after its previous communications chief, Hannah Wong, left in January. Hazelbaker will oversee global communications, brand, public policy and community partnerships, according to OpenAI and multiple reports.

The appointment places a veteran corporate affairs executive in a senior role at a company facing scrutiny over artificial intelligence policy, public trust and its business direction. Hazelbaker will report to Greg Brockman, AI Weekly reported. Her start date was not disclosed, while her final day at Uber is set for November 30, 2026.

Hazelbaker spent more than a decade at Uber, where she rose from vice president of policy communications to president and chief corporate affairs officer. Her responsibilities included marketing, communications, public policy, safety, human resources, recruiting and real estate, according to Uber's leadership biography.

Before Uber, Hazelbaker led communications and public policy at Snap and held communications roles at Google, including responsibility for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Her background also includes political campaign work for John McCain, giving her experience across technology, government and national politics. That mix matters for OpenAI as the company negotiates with policymakers while expanding its commercial reach.

The chief corporate affairs post had remained open for roughly 9 to 10 months, making the hire more than a routine executive replacement. OpenAI spent months searching for a candidate after Wong's departure, and Hazelbaker previously declined the role in the spring, Fortune reported.

OpenAI's need for a senior public-facing operator has grown alongside debates over AI safety, regulation, copyright, labor disruption and the power of major model companies. PYMNTS framed the appointment as part of OpenAI's effort to build public trust. Her brief combines reputation management with policy strategy, so the job will connect external messaging to the company's relationships with governments, users and business partners.

Hazelbaker's departure removes one of Uber's highest-ranking leaders after her promotion to president and chief corporate affairs officer in May. Bloomberg described her exit as the latest departure of a veteran executive from Uber during 2026.

At Uber, Hazelbaker managed a broad portfolio extending beyond traditional communications. The company has not announced a successor in the information provided, and her departure creates a leadership gap across policy, marketing, public affairs and other corporate functions. The move also shows how established technology companies compete for executives who can handle regulation, reputation and political risk across multiple markets.

Hazelbaker joins as OpenAI works through a demanding period of institutional and financial growth. Coverage has connected the appointment with the company's political environment and its plans for a future public offering, while social-media discussion also referenced a reduced fundraising target and an IPO delay into 2027.

Her mandate gives OpenAI a single senior leader for several audiences that often require different messages: regulators want policy clarity, investors want predictable governance, developers want product direction, and the public wants accountability around powerful AI systems. The appointment doesn't resolve those pressures, but it gives OpenAI an executive with experience coordinating them at scale.

Hazelbaker's immediate challenge will be turning OpenAI's corporate affairs function into a stable operating center after months without a permanent leader. The role covers communications, brand, policy and community relationships, which means her early work will likely involve aligning those teams around the company's next stage.

Her record at Uber gives OpenAI an operator familiar with regulatory disputes, public controversy and rapid international expansion. The appointment also raises expectations for clearer communication as OpenAI navigates investor demands, government scrutiny and its relationship with the broader AI ecosystem. Her transition begins after November 30, when she leaves Uber.