OpenAI has announced the appointment of Emmanuel Marill as its first Managing Director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), marking a significant step in the company’s international expansion drive. Marill, who previously held a similar leadership role at Airbnb, will be based in Paris and tasked with overseeing operations across the diverse region.
His appointment underscores OpenAI’s commitment to strengthening its presence in markets where demand for artificial intelligence products such as ChatGPT and Codex is rapidly growing.
The new role gives OpenAI a dedicated senior executive to navigate both opportunities and challenges in EMEA, where political and business concerns about reliance on American technology continue to mount. Marill will report directly to Jason Kwon, OpenAI’s Chief Strategy Officer, who noted that the company is investing heavily in international leadership to meet surging global demand. Europe, in particular, has become a critical market, though officials and industry leaders have repeatedly called for stronger backing of home-grown technology firms. French startup Mistral AI has already positioned itself as a European alternative to US giants like OpenAI.
OpenAI’s expansion comes amid ongoing reviews of its infrastructure plans in the region. Earlier this month, the company paused its ambitious Stargate data centre project in the United Kingdom, citing regulatory hurdles and energy costs. Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest backer, subsequently agreed to rent data centre capacity in Norway, while OpenAI continues to explore separate computing agreements there. Beyond Europe, Marill will also spearhead operations in the Middle East, where the company has invested heavily, particularly in the United Arab Emirates through its partnership with G42.
The company’s footprint in EMEA already spans banking, pharmaceuticals, media, and government collaborations in countries such as Germany, Greece and Ireland. OpenAI has also pledged to expand its London workforce as subscriptions in the region grew sevenfold over the past year. Globally, Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar disclosed that OpenAI’s annualised revenue exceeded $20 billion in 2025, highlighting the scale of its commercial ambitions. With Marill’s appointment, OpenAI aims to consolidate its growth trajectory while navigating the complex political and economic realities of the EMEA region. ### OpenAI Appoints Emmanuel Marill as Regional MD for EMEA
OpenAI has announced the appointment of Emmanuel Marill as its first Managing Director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), marking a significant step in the company’s international expansion drive. Marill, who previously held a similar leadership role at Airbnb, will be based in Paris and tasked with overseeing operations across the diverse region. His appointment underscores OpenAI’s commitment to strengthening its presence in markets where demand for artificial intelligence products such as ChatGPT and Codex is rapidly growing.
The new role gives OpenAI a dedicated senior executive to navigate both opportunities and challenges in EMEA, where political and business concerns about reliance on American technology continue to mount. Marill will report directly to Jason Kwon, OpenAI’s Chief Strategy Officer, who noted that the company is investing heavily in international leadership to meet surging global demand. Europe, in particular, has become a critical market, though officials and industry leaders have repeatedly called for stronger backing of home-grown technology firms. French startup Mistral AI has already positioned itself as a European alternative to US giants like OpenAI.
OpenAI’s expansion comes amid ongoing reviews of its infrastructure plans in the region. Earlier this month, the company paused its ambitious Stargate data centre project in the United Kingdom, citing regulatory hurdles and energy costs. Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest backer, subsequently agreed to rent data centre capacity in Norway, while OpenAI continues to explore separate computing agreements there. Beyond Europe, Marill will also spearhead operations in the Middle East, where the company has invested heavily, particularly in the United Arab Emirates through its partnership with G42.
The company’s footprint in EMEA already spans banking, pharmaceuticals, media, and government collaborations in countries such as Germany, Greece and Ireland. OpenAI has also pledged to expand its London workforce as subscriptions in the region grew sevenfold over the past year. Globally, Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar disclosed that OpenAI’s annualised revenue exceeded $20 billion in 2025, highlighting the scale of its commercial ambitions. With Marill’s appointment, OpenAI aims to consolidate its growth trajectory while navigating the complex political and economic realities of the EMEA region.