OpenAI appointed Ismail Elmas as vice president of sales for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), adding a senior executive as the company seeks to strengthen its presence in the region. Elmas is based in Munich and has more than two decades of experience at software and cybersecurity companies, including Rubrik Inc. and Zscaler Inc. Before joining OpenAI, he worked at Cursor, a coding-automation company that SpaceX acquired for $60 billion in August 2026.

The appointment is OpenAI’s second major senior sales hire from Cursor since September 2026. Last month, the company named another Cursor veteran, Brian McCarthy, vice president of global sales. OpenAI is seeking to expand its position in Europe as policymakers express growing concern about reliance on US-made technology.

With a potential IPO on the horizon, OpenAI is seeking more revenue from corporate clients and considering other sources, including advertising. In the Middle East, it has established ties with the UAE and is building a large data center there; the project began before the US war with Iran. In Africa, OpenAI faces competition from Chinese rivals such as DeepSeek.

Elon Musk, an OpenAI co-founder, has sued the company over its shift to a for-profit structure, arguing that it violates the nonprofit principles on which OpenAI was founded. Musk launched competing AI developer xAI after the dispute; he later merged xAI with his privately held company SpaceX.

OpenAI appointed Ismail Elmas as vice president of sales for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), adding a senior executive as the company seeks to strengthen its presence in the region. Elmas is based in Munich and has more than two decades of experience at software and cybersecurity companies, including Rubrik Inc. and Zscaler Inc. Before joining OpenAI, he worked at Cursor, a coding-automation company that SpaceX acquired for $60 billion in August 2026.

The appointment is OpenAI’s second major senior sales hire from Cursor since September 2026. Last month, the company named another Cursor veteran, Brian McCarthy, vice president of global sales. OpenAI is seeking to expand its position in Europe as policymakers express growing concern about reliance on US-made technology.

With a potential IPO on the horizon, OpenAI is seeking more revenue from corporate clients and considering other sources, including advertising. In the Middle East, it has established ties with the UAE and is building a large data center there; the project began before the US war with Iran. In Africa, OpenAI faces competition from Chinese rivals such as DeepSeek.

Elon Musk, an OpenAI co-founder, has sued the company over its shift to a for-profit structure, arguing that it violates the nonprofit principles on which OpenAI was founded. Musk launched competing AI developer xAI after the dispute; he later merged xAI with his privately held company SpaceX.