MAM
OpenAI communications chief Hannah Wong to step down
SAN FRANCISCO: Hannah Wong, chief communications officer at OpenAI, is stepping away after nearly five years at the company, closing a defining chapter in the tech world’s most closely watched communications operation.
Wong announced her decision as OpenAI heads into 2026, following ChatGPT’s third anniversary and with what she described as a strong roadmap ahead. Lindsey Held Bolton will lead the communications team on an interim basis, while Kate Rouch oversees the search for a permanent successor.
During her tenure, Wong helped shape OpenAI’s global voice through a period of explosive growth, introducing ChatGPT and other flagship products to the world while navigating intense scrutiny around artificial intelligence, safety and trust.
She also led communications through OpenAI’s rapid transition from research lab to consumer-facing technology powerhouse.
“These years have been intense and deeply formative,” Wong said, reflecting on her role in telling OpenAI’s story and spotlighting the people behind its push towards artificial general intelligence.
Before joining OpenAI in 2021, Wong spent more than seven years at Apple, where she handled public relations for marquee products including the iPad, Apple Pay, Apple Card and iCloud. Earlier roles at Edelman and Gap Inc built a career rooted in high-stakes brand storytelling across technology, finance and consumer culture.
Wong said she plans to take time off with her family before deciding on her next move, thanking Sam Altman, Greg Brockman and Fidji Simo for what she called one of the most meaningful chapters of her career.
Her exit marks the end of an era for OpenAI’s communications team—one that helped turn a research project into a household name, and made the global conversation around AI impossible to ignore.
MAM
Ogilvy appoints Carol Reed as Global Chief Innovation Officer
Advertising veteran joins to drive human-first innovation in an AI-powered world.
MUMBAI: Carol Reed has found a new creative canvas and this time, she’s bringing her innovation brush to one of advertising’s most iconic names. Ogilvy Group has appointed Carol Reed as its new global chief innovation officer. Reed, who previously served as Chief Innovation Officer at WPP Open X, brings deep expertise at the intersection of creativity, technology, media, and commerce.
In a note announcing her move, Reed said she was drawn to Ogilvy because of its unmatched legacy. “The most powerful thing AI can do is make human creativity more extraordinary not replace it,” she stated. “This is an agency with something no algorithm can replicate, a 78-year legacy of ideas that change culture and drive real business results.”
Reed will focus on building new products, platforms, and partnerships to amplify Ogilvy’s creative heritage for clients and its global talent network. She will work closely with Global CEO Laurent Ezekiel and global chief creative officer Liz Taylor.
Her career began at Publicis Groupe’s Digitas as an associate media planner. She later moved to Omnicom Media Group and rose to senior vice president and programmatic lead at Digitas, where she built an in-house programmatic team of over 40 members. Most recently, at WPP, she served as executive vice president for data and product marketing.
With her appointment, Ogilvy strengthens its innovation leadership as the industry navigates rapid advancements in AI and technology.
From building programmatic teams to championing human creativity in an AI era, Carol Reed has consistently stayed ahead of the curve. Her arrival at Ogilvy signals a fresh push to blend cutting-edge innovation with the agency’s legendary creative spirit.
