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OpenAI just suffered another blow to its leadership team. Brad Lightcap, the company\u2019s longtime chief operating officer, announced Tuesday he\u2019s leaving after eight years, saying on X he\u2019s moving on to \u201cstart something new,\u201d according to CNBC<\/a>. Lightcap joined in 2018 and served as COO for four years before shifting in April to a role focused on \u201cspecial projects,\u201d with chief revenue officer Denise Dresser absorbing most of his responsibilities.<\/p>\n Lightcap is the fifth senior OpenAI executive to depart since April. Fidji Simo, OpenAI\u2019s product and business chief, stepped down last month to focus on recovering from a chronic illness. In April, three more senior executives departed within weeks of each other.<\/p>\n The timing isn\u2019t ideal. OpenAI is trying to justify an $852 billion valuation and is reportedly gearing up for what could be a massive initial public offering. Losing a veteran staffer now, even one framing his exit as a \u201cmission success\u201d moment, adds to questions about leadership stability at a company under enormous pressure to perform.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n OpenAI just suffered another blow to its leadership team. Brad Lightcap, the company\u2019s longtime chief operating officer, announced Tuesday he\u2019s leaving after eight years, saying on X he\u2019s moving on to \u201cstart something new,\u201d according to CNBC<\/a>. Lightcap joined in 2018 and served as COO for four years before shifting in April to a role focused on \u201cspecial projects,\u201d with chief revenue officer Denise Dresser absorbing most of his responsibilities.<\/p>\n Lightcap is the fifth senior OpenAI executive to depart since April. Fidji Simo, OpenAI\u2019s product and business chief, stepped down last month to focus on recovering from a chronic illness. In April, three more senior executives departed within weeks of each other.<\/p>\n The timing isn\u2019t ideal. OpenAI is trying to justify an $852 billion valuation and is reportedly gearing up for what could be a massive initial public offering. Losing a veteran staffer now, even one framing his exit as a \u201cmission success\u201d moment, adds to questions about leadership stability at a company under enormous pressure to perform.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n