The world-leading AI research and deployment company OpenAI, has recently appointed Sanj Bhayro as their Managing Director of Sales for EMEA. This follows the close collaboration between Faraday Partners and OpenAI, led by Nick Fairclough, Managing Partner with support from William Batt, Associate at Faraday Partners. The leadership team from OpenAI included Ashley Kramer, Oliver Jay, Giancarlo Lionetti and Daniel Galin.

The appointment marks a pivotal step in OpenAI’s continued expansion across Europe as the company deepens its engagement with customers, partners, and policymakers across the region.

Sanj joins OpenAI following nearly two decades leading and scaling high-performing teams at some of the world’s most influential technology companies. Most recently, he served as General Manager of International and SMB at Asana, where he built and scaled go-to-market operations across global markets. Prior to that, he held senior leadership roles at Intercom, Google Cloud, and Salesforce, where he helped drive sustained growth across EMEA by combining operational excellence with a deep focus on customer success.

In his new role, Sanj reports directly to Ashley and is a critical member of the EMEA leadership team. He leads OpenAI’s EMEA Sales operations, overseeing strategic growth, regional partnerships, and customer engagement as the company continues to build on its mission of ensuring that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.

This assignment was led by Nick Fairclough, Managing Partner with support from William Batt, Associate at Faraday Partners. Other key members of the team include Andrew Banks, Managing Partner; Nicole Stimpson, Analyst; and Lucy Bernstein, Project Lead.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is the world-leading AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity. Founded in 2015, OpenAI builds safe and effective AI systems - including ChatGPT, GPT-4, and DALL·E - that empower individuals and organisations to be more creative and productive. Through a commitment to responsible innovation and collaboration, OpenAI advances the understanding and application of artificial intelligence on a global scale.

OpenAI is backed by Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Thrive Capital, Khosla Ventures, Coatue, SoftBank, Microsoft, and Altimeter.

About Faraday Partners

Faraday Partners is a global executive search firm partnering with the most innovative growth companies and their investors. Specialising in leadership appointments across product, technology, commercial, and operations, Faraday helps organisations secure transformative leaders capable of driving scale, innovation, and category leadership.