PeopleofSuperintelligence

Lab leader

Adebayo Ogunlesi

Also known as Bayo Ogunlesi

Adebayo Ogunlesi is an infrastructure investor and an OpenAI director. He earned first-class honors in philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford, entered Harvard’s joint law and business program in the late 1970s, and clerked for Justice Thurgood Marshall in 1980–1981. He joined Cravath in 1983, moved into First Boston, led Credit Suisse First Boston’s Global Investment Banking Division from 2002 to 2004, and helped found Global Infrastructure Partners in 2006. After BlackRock acquired GIP in October 2024, he joined OpenAI’s board in January 2025; as of October 2026, he serves as GIP’s chairman and CEO and remains on OpenAI’s board.

Now at
OpenAI and Global Infrastructure Partners
Badges

Timeline

  1. 1970s

    Oxford and Harvard study

    He earns first-class honors in philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford and enters Harvard’s joint law and business program in the late 1970s.

  2. 1980–1981

    Clerk for Thurgood Marshall

    He serves as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall from 1980 to 1981.

  3. 1983–2004

    From law to investment banking

    He joins Cravath as an associate in 1983, moves into First Boston, and leads Credit Suisse First Boston’s Global Investment Banking Division from 2002 to 2004.

  4. 2006

    Founding an infrastructure firm

    He helps found Global Infrastructure Partners with Matthew Harris and William Woodburn in 2006, building an infrastructure investment business.

  5. November 2024

    Joining BlackRock’s board

    In November 2024, he joins BlackRock’s board as a non-independent director after it completes its GIP acquisition in October 2024.

  6. January 2025

    Joining OpenAI’s board

    In January 2025, he joins OpenAI’s board as the AI company works to expand its data center and energy resources.

  7. As of October 2026

    Leading GIP and OpenAI

    As of October 2026, he serves as GIP’s chairman and CEO and remains on OpenAI’s board.

A language model matched the links in this timeline to people, organizations and papers (provisional, model-judged).

Career

  1. Since 2006Global Infrastructure PartnersCo-founder, Chairman and CEO
  2. NowOpenAIBoard member
  3. From 2024BlackRockNon-independent director
  4. 2002–2004Credit Suisse First BostonHead of Global Investment Banking Division
  5. From 1983Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLPAssociate
  6. 1980–1981Supreme Court of the United StatesLaw clerk

Education

  1. University of OxfordPhilosophy, politics and economics
  2. Harvard UniversityJoint law and business program

From the biography.

  1. 11 of 71 people shaping AI with a former OpenAI role now work at AnthropicIncludes OpenAI. Our estimates of where OpenAI recruits came from and where people with former OpenAI roles work now.
  2. The median h-index is 55 at universities and 20 at frontier AI labsIncludes OpenAI. The median h-index is 55 at universities and 20 at frontier AI labs. We compare publishing careers, citations and moves to estimate how universities and frontier labs contribute to AI research.
  3. Google alumni founded or led 77 other organizations, the most among the labs we compareIncludes OpenAI. We trace 177 organizations founded or led by AI lab alumni, and 186 career moves between the labs.
  4. 44% of AI career moves go from one university to anotherIncludes OpenAI. We estimate how 11,906 AI career moves link universities, companies, labs and government research centers, with net flows and the most common paths.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Adebayo Ogunlesi yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Adebayo O. Ogunlesi | Encyclopedia.com encyclopedia.com. Checked 18 October 2026.
  2. Adebayo Ogunlesi - Global Infrastructure Partners global-infra.com. Checked 18 October 2026.
  3. Adebayo Ogunlesi | Baker Library library.hbs.edu. Checked 18 October 2026.
  4. GIP’s Ogunlesi: Run it like a great business - Global Infrastructure Partners global-infra.com. Checked 18 October 2026.
  5. Adebayo Ogunlesi se une al consejo de administración de BlackRock - Funds Society fundssociety.com. Checked 18 October 2026.
  6. Adebayo Ogunlesi joins OpenAI Board of Directors - Nairametrics nairametrics.com. Checked 18 October 2026.
  7. With Adebayo Ogunlesi on board, OpenAI eyes $1.2T valuation - Shore Africa shore.africa. Checked 18 October 2026.