The executive described as Google’s “strategic sourcing” hire has not been independently identified. The best-documented Google-to-OpenAI infrastructure move is Mihika Shivkumar’s appointment in April 2025 as an OpenAI technical program manager for physical infrastructure. Her work was tied to Project Stargate, starting with the planned data-center site in Abilene, Texas.
What is confirmed about the Google-to-OpenAI move?
Data Centre Dynamics reported on April 16, 2025, that Mihika Shivkumar had joined OpenAI after working at Google as a technical program manager focused on data-center infrastructure design. Her new remit was physical infrastructure, including the design and delivery of systems intended to support OpenAI’s next generation of AI services.
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Shivkumar announced the move on LinkedIn, writing: “I’m so excited to share that I’m starting a new position at OpenAI where I’ll be driving the design and delivery of AI infrastructure that will power the next generation of intelligent systems.”
Data Centre Dynamics connected her work to Project Stargate, the large-scale infrastructure program associated with a potential data-center buildout valued at up to $500 billion. The report said her initial work would begin with the Abilene, Texas, site.
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Why the “strategic sourcing executive” description is unresolved
The available reporting does not establish that Shivkumar was OpenAI’s strategic-sourcing executive. Her documented title and background are in technical program management and data-center infrastructure design, not procurement leadership.
That distinction matters because OpenAI was recruiting for several infrastructure functions at the same time. A sourcing manager role covered equipment and vendors, electrical and mechanical systems, connectivity equipment, contractors, and engineering relationships. A separate infrastructure-strategy technical program manager role addressed site selection, land, power, construction, sustainability, hardware, and community engagement.
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Those responsibilities overlap in a major data-center program, but they are not interchangeable. Without a primary announcement, executive profile, or direct confirmation from Google or OpenAI, assigning the “strategic sourcing” label to Shivkumar would go beyond the evidence.
How the documented roles fit into Stargate
| Person or role | Prior experience or status | Primary responsibility described in reporting | Relationship to Stargate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mihika Shivkumar | Former Google technical program manager for data-center infrastructure design; joined OpenAI in April 2025 | Technical program management for physical-infrastructure design and delivery | Work tied to the Stargate portfolio, beginning with Abilene, Texas |
| Data-center sourcing manager | OpenAI hiring role; individual not identified in the available reports | Equipment, vendors, electrical and mechanical systems, connectivity, contractors, and engineering relationships | Procurement and supplier coordination for the infrastructure buildout |
| Infrastructure-strategy technical program manager | OpenAI hiring role; individual not identified in the available reports | Site selection, land, power, construction, sustainability, hardware, and community engagement | Strategic planning and delivery across potential sites |
Who was leading OpenAI’s data-center organization in 2026?
OpenAI’s infrastructure leadership later changed. On August 25, 2026, TechCrunch reported that Chris Malone, OpenAI’s former head of data centers, had left the company and that Sachin Katti had taken leadership of the infrastructure group.
The change does not identify the Google executive implied by the strategic-sourcing headline, nor does it show that Shivkumar replaced Malone. It does establish that OpenAI reorganized its infrastructure organization as Stargate planning and execution continued.
An OpenAI spokesperson told TechCrunch: “We have a strong, deeply experienced data center team in place, with clear leadership and the technical expertise to execute our plans.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What these hires indicate about OpenAI’s infrastructure strategy
The hiring pattern points to an organization being built around the full data-center lifecycle rather than a single construction team. OpenAI needed people who could coordinate:
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- Design and technical delivery: defining physical infrastructure and moving projects from engineering plans toward deployment.
- Sourcing and procurement: securing equipment, vendors, connectivity systems, contractors, and specialist engineering support.
- Site and utility strategy: evaluating land, power availability, construction conditions, sustainability requirements, and local relationships.
- Portfolio execution: managing multiple sites and aligning hardware, construction, and operational milestones.
For an AI company planning unusually large computing capacity, these functions are strategically important. Advanced accelerators are only one part of the constraint: data centers also require power infrastructure, cooling and electrical systems, network connectivity, construction capacity, permitting, and dependable supplier relationships.
What remains unknown
The available reports do not verify the name of the strategic-sourcing executive suggested by the headline. They also do not establish compensation, the reason for any individual’s move, or an official joint announcement from Google and OpenAI.
The most defensible account is therefore narrower: Mihika Shivkumar moved from Google’s data-center infrastructure-design organization to OpenAI in April 2025, where she worked on physical infrastructure connected to Stargate. OpenAI was also recruiting dedicated sourcing and infrastructure-strategy staff, and its data-center leadership changed in August 2026 when Chris Malone departed and Sachin Katti assumed leadership of the infrastructure group.
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