Slack CEO Denise Dresser Joins OpenAI as CRO

OpenAI Appoints Denise Dresser as Chief Revenue Officer

OpenAI has announced the appointment of Denise Dresser, currently the CEO of Slack, to the position of chief revenue officer.

Initial Reports and Confirmation

The initial report regarding this executive change surfaced in Wired, and was subsequently validated by OpenAI through an official blog post.

Dresser's Extensive Background

Dresser brings with her a wealth of experience, having spent over 14 years at Salesforce, the parent organization of Slack.

During her tenure at Slack, she was instrumental in the integration of numerous AI-powered functionalities.

Responsibilities in the New Role

Within OpenAI, Dresser will be tasked with formulating and executing the company’s revenue strategy, with a particular focus on enterprise solutions and ensuring customer success.

This position is considered crucial as OpenAI navigates the challenges of achieving profitability.

Statement from OpenAI’s CEO

Fidji Simo, CEO of Applications at OpenAI, stated, “We’re on a path to put AI tools into the hands of millions of workers, across every industry.”

Simo further emphasized Dresser’s relevant experience, noting her ability to drive similar transitions and her potential to make AI useful, reliable, and accessible to businesses globally.

Leadership Transition at OpenAI and Slack

Similar to Dresser, Simo also recently joined OpenAI, leveraging a distinguished career in leadership roles, most notably as the former CEO of Instacart, a key partner of OpenAI.

Reports from Wired indicate that Rob Seaman, Slack’s chief product officer, will assume the role of interim CEO at Slack.

Slack Leadership Change

Following Dresser’s departure, Slack will be led temporarily by Rob Seaman, the company’s chief product officer.

This transition allows for continued operation while a permanent CEO is identified.