By Emmanuel Nduka
In a major development for OpenAI, the company announced on Tuesday that Adebayo Ogunlesi, founding partner of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), has joined its Board of Directors.
This strategic move signals OpenAI’s continued shift toward a for-profit model, with Ogunlesi bringing his extensive global expertise in infrastructure, finance, and strategic leadership to the table.
“We’re pleased to announce Adebayo Bayo Ogunlesi has joined our Board of Directors. As Founding Partner, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), one of the world’s premier infrastructure investing platforms, and a Senior Managing Director at BlackRock, Mr. Ogunlesi brings deep leadership experience and expertise across corporate finance, infrastructure investment, and global market strategy,” OpenAI stated.
“This appointment further complements the Board’s depth across technical, AI safety, cybersecurity, regulatory, economic, nonprofit, and governance domains, strengthening its ability to oversee the company’s progress toward AGI,” the company added. Mr. Ogunlesi’s counsel will be invaluable as we navigate the global transformation of AI infrastructure, drive innovation, and foster economic growth.”
Ogunlesi is a renowned businessman and investor with an illustrious career. Before founding GIP in 2006, he spent 23 years at Credit Suisse, where he held multiple senior roles, including Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Client Officer of the Investment Banking Division.
Between 2002 and 2004, he also served as Head of the Global Investment Banking Division and was a member of the Executive Board and Management Committee.
Earlier in his career, Ogunlesi worked as an attorney at the prestigious New York law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore, and also served as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Additionally, he has lectured at both Harvard and Yale Law Schools and Yale School of Management on topics related to transnational investment projects.
He holds a B.A. in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from Oxford University, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Ogunlesi is also a board member of BlackRock, Topgolf Callaway Brands, Kosmos Energy Holdings, and Terminal Investment Limited, and he previously served as Lead Director of Goldman Sachs Group. He is an active member of the Dean’s Advisory Boards at both Harvard Law and Business Schools, as well as the Harvard University Global Advisory Council.
