OpenAI has reportedly hired Ismail Elmas as Vice President of Sales for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region, based in Munich, Germany.

Before joining OpenAI, Elmas worked at code automation startup Cursor, which was acquired by Elon Musk's SpaceX in August for $60 billion. He also previously held positions at Rubrik and Zscaler Inc.

OpenAI is working to boost enterprise business revenue and develop new income streams, laying the groundwork for a potential initial public offering (IPO) in 2027. The company has already established a solid business presence in the Middle East, with plans for a large data center project in the United Arab Emirates that was in the works well before the U.S.-Iran conflict broke out.

Last month, OpenAI hired Cursor employee Brian McCarthy as Vice President of Global Sales. According to LinkedIn, McCarthy previously served at Cursor as President of Global Revenue and Global Field Operations for a 10-month tenure. Prior to that, he held the same role at Rubrik.

These appointments come amid growing concerns about the growth prospects of the artificial intelligence industry, as recent data shows OpenAI's annualized revenue is roughly $20 billion lower than previously reported figures. The company told investors that its annualized revenue was nearly $50 billion as of the end of September, rather than the previously reported $70 billion.