OpenAI Taps Communications Veteran Aaron McLear as VP Amid AI Chip Push

Open AI Names Aaron McLear as VP of Communications

Open AI has appointed Aaron McLear, former Edelman US chair and senior counsel at Bully Pulpit International, as its new Vice President of Communications. McLear brings extensive experience from roles including VP of communications and analytics at Cruise, director of corporate communications at Uber, and press secretary for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

His background also includes senior communications positions with the Republican National Committee and the Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign, making him well-versed in both corporate and political communications.

In related news, OpenAI is partnering with U.S. semiconductor leader Broadcom to develop its first artificial intelligence chip, expected to launch next year, according to the Financial Times.

Monica Trauzzi Joins Smart Electric Power Alliance as Chief Communications Officer

The Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), a nonprofit organization focused on accelerating the transition to clean and resilient electricity, has named Monica Trauzzi as its Chief Communications Officer.

Trauzzi previously served as senior director at Invariant, where she led integrated communications and sustainability strategies for Fortune 100 companies and startups. She also directed external communications and climate finance strategy at the Nuclear Energy Institute.

At SEPA, Trauzzi will oversee marketing, branding, and external communication strategies, as well as lead the Public Utilities Fortnightly team.

SEPA president and CEO Sheri Givens commented, “Monica is a dynamic communicator whose career has been dedicated to elevating energy conversations at the highest levels.”

Debbie Umbach Takes on CMO Role at M-Files

M-Files, an AI-driven document management system, has appointed Debbie Umbach as Chief Marketing Officer. Umbach joins from Own, a data resilience and compliance solutions company acquired by Salesforce earlier this year.

Her background includes senior marketing leadership roles at Dynatrace and Bitsight. M-Files recently became the first document management vendor to offer native Microsoft 365 capabilities, reflecting its commitment to innovation.

M-Files CEO Jay Bhatt noted, “Her deep expertise across the entire marketing lifecycle comes at a pivotal moment for M-Files.”

Other Recent Personnel Moves

• Jeff Levey has joined Avoq as senior advisor for government relations. Levey was previously executive director at Ernst & Young’s Washington Council.
• Michael Abrahams, former chief communications officer at XPO, has joined Brunswick Group as a partner in New York.
• Emily Spence is the new Chief Communications Officer at Vice Media Group.
• FleishmanHillard hired EJ Kim from Weber Shandwick as global managing director of TRUE Global Intelligence.
• CoreWeave appointed Lia Davis, formerly with Kyndryl and IBM, as VP and head of global communications.
• Tom White joined FGS Global as a partner on its Brussels leadership team.
• Hailstone Communications hired Kayla Blado as EVP; she was previously director of congressional and public affairs for the National Labor Relations Board.
• The Count Basie Center for the Arts appointed Ivy Charmatz as SVP of communications and content strategy, a newly created role.
• Chris Deri, with a background at Weber Shandwick, Teneo, and Edelman, joined Rud Pedersen Group as senior advisor.

For communications professionals interested in staying updated on industry moves, these appointments reflect strategic hires focused on communications leadership across sectors including AI, energy, and tech.