OpenAI has appointed Mike Liberatore, the former Chief Financial Officer of Elon Musk’s AI startup xAI, as its new business finance officer, according to a report by CNBC on September 16. Liberatore will report directly to CFO Sarah Friar and work closely with co-founder Greg Brockman’s team, which oversees OpenAI’s contracts and compute strategy. His appointment marks a strategic addition to OpenAI’s leadership at a time when the company is scaling operations and reshaping its financial structure.
Liberatore’s move to OpenAI follows a brief but high-profile tenure at xAI, where he served for only four months. During this period, he played a central role in advancing funding efforts, most notably overseeing a $5 billion debt sale in June. He also managed the expansion of xAI’s data center in Memphis, Tennessee—an initiative critical to the company’s compute ambitions. The reasons for his sudden departure from Musk’s venture have not been disclosed. His exit adds to a wave of senior-level departures from xAI, including general counsel Robert Keele, senior lawyer Raghu Rao, and co-founder Igor Babuschkin, several of whom reportedly left due to differences with Musk or to explore other opportunities.
Before joining xAI, Liberatore built a strong career in corporate finance. He previously served as vice president of finance and corporate development at Airbnb, where he was involved in key financial planning and growth strategies. His expertise spans capital management, financial structuring, and large-scale corporate initiatives—skills that are expected to prove valuable as OpenAI enters its next phase of expansion.
Liberatore’s appointment comes at a critical juncture for OpenAI. The company, recently valued at more than $100 billion, has introduced structural changes that link its nonprofit entity with a stake in its public benefit corporation. In addition, OpenAI has signed a memorandum of understanding with Microsoft to transition its for-profit arm into a public benefit corporation, a move first disclosed in May.
By bringing Liberatore on board, OpenAI is strengthening its finance leadership at a time of rapid organizational and industry transformation. His track record in corporate finance and ability to manage large-scale capital initiatives are expected to play a pivotal role in advancing the company’s evolving strategy and ambitious global growth plans.
