Infrastructure Revolution: Bayo Ogunlesi Joins Open AI Board, Creator Of ChatGPT
The Oasis Reporters
January 15, 2025
An important announcement came from OpenAI Newsroom @OpenAINewsroom several hours ago.
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“Pleased to welcome Adebayo “Bayo” Ogunlesi to our Board. His leadership in infrastructure and global strategy strengthens our path to AGI”
And who is Bayo Ogunlesi?
Adebayo Ogunlesi is a Nigerian billionaire who founded GIP and manages about $100 Billion in Assets with Larry Fink, the co-founder CEO of BlackRock, a company that manages $10 Trillion in Assets.
Listen to Nigeria’s own Bayo Ogunlesi and Larry Fink as they spoke last year on Bloomberg TV:
Many would remember his father, University of Ibadan’s first Professor of Medicine. The Emeritus professor has his name emblazoned on a magnificent multipurpose Hall that is opposite the University College Hospital Gate on the way towards the University of Ibadan, in Ibadan, South West Nigeria.
But this post is about Ogunlesi the son. He purchased the rights to manage Gatwick Airport in the UK long ago.
Professor Ndubuisi Ekekwe breaks it down succinctly:
OpenAI said Tuesday that Chairman Adebayo Ogunlesi, founding partner of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), will join the board of OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT.
A year ago, BlackRock announced that it was buying GIP for $12 billion, and making Mr Ogunlesi a senior managing director at BlackRock.
BlackRock recently invested in OpenAI. OpenAI is building the “airports”, “railways”, “roads”, and broad infrastructure of the 21st century. Yes, the foundational pillars of the AI (artificial intelligence) age. It does make sense for them to ask him to drive it for them since he is a legend on building infrastructures
We congratulate him for his peerless ascension in America’s business sphere. This is a big deal because OpenAI is a category-king company. Here, the kings are gathering at scale
We at The Oasis Reporters also offer our congratulations to Bayo Ogunlesi.
Greg Abolo
