12. December 2025
Admin
Slack CEO leaves Salesforce to become OpenAI’s first revenue chief, tackle multibillion-dollar losses
In a major executive shift, Denise Dresser — the current CEO of Slack under Salesforce — is leaving to become OpenAI’s first Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). This move reflects OpenAI’s growing emphasis on generating revenue and scaling enterprise adoption of its AI products amid intense competition and financial pressure.
Quick Insight:
OpenAI’s appointment of a dedicated CRO signals a strategic pivot toward stronger monetisation, broad enterprise sales, and long-term commercialisation as the company balances popularity with profitability in a rapidly maturing AI market.
1. A Strategic Leadership Move
• Denise Dresser has led Slack as CEO since 2023, after years at Salesforce where she held senior sales and leadership roles.
• Her new role at OpenAI will be to oversee global revenue strategy, focusing on driving enterprise adoption and customer success for AI products like ChatGPT for business.
• OpenAI’s leadership believes that Dresser’s experience scaling enterprise products and revenue operations will help the company move past early-stage hype into sustainable commercial growth.
2. What This Means for OpenAI
• OpenAI’s rapid growth — including hundreds of millions of users — hasn’t yet translated into consistent profitability.
• The CRO position reflects a priority shift toward enterprise sales, recurring contracts, and strategic business customers who can pay for long-term AI integration.
• As AI tools become embedded in more corporate workflows, OpenAI is positioning itself as a revenue-driven tech platform rather than just a consumer product.
3. Impact on Slack & Salesforce
• Salesforce indicated gratitude for Dresser’s long service, including guiding Slack’s integration into its broader enterprise software suite.
• Rob Seaman, Slack’s Chief Product Officer, will serve as interim CEO following her departure.
• While leadership transitions can be disruptive, Slack continues to be a key part of Salesforce’s workspace offerings — even as OpenAI grows its footprint in corporate AI tools.
Final Thoughts
This executive move highlights how enterprise monetisation has become the next frontier for generative AI companies. With competition from major tech rivals and substantial infrastructure costs, OpenAI’s decision to install a seasoned revenue leader underscores its seriousness about turning usage into sustainable business growth — and signals what 2026 may hold for AI adoption in the corporate world.
Tip: Leadership changes at major AI companies often foreshadow strategic pivots — watch how OpenAI’s revenue focus shapes pricing, enterprise offerings, and partnerships next year.
