OpenAI has appointed Emmanuel Marill as its first Managing Director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), signalling a major push to deepen its foothold in one of the world’s most strategically contested markets for artificial intelligence.

Marill, a French executive, joins from Airbnb, where he served in a similar regional leadership role, and will be based in OpenAI’s Paris office. He will report directly to Jason Kwon, OpenAI’s Chief Strategy Officer.

The hire comes at a pivotal moment for the company’s international ambitions. Weekly active ChatGPT users in the EMEA region have grown by 70 per cent since last year, with Germany, France, the UK, and Spain among its top markets for ChatGPT and Codex. As of February, OpenAI reported a sevenfold year-on-year increase in business subscriptions across the region.

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“As demand for ChatGPT and Codex continues to grow rapidly all over the world, we are investing significantly in our international leadership and operations,” Kwon said in a statement.

Marill previously led Airbnb’s EMEA, Australia, and New Zealand operations, and also worked with Meta as its financial services and automotive industry lead for Facebook and Instagram.

The appointment arrives against a backdrop of growing political unease in Europe over dependence on American AI providers. Competitors such as Mistral AI are positioning themselves as European alternatives, even as OpenAI continues to secure agreements across industries including banking, pharmaceuticals, and media, alongside partnerships with governments in Germany, Greece, and Ireland.

Infrastructure challenges also loom. OpenAI recently paused its Stargate data centre project in the UK, citing regulatory and energy-related challenges, while partner Microsoft has shifted some capacity plans to Norway.

Beyond Europe, Marill will oversee OpenAI’s expansion in the Middle East, where the company’s partnership with G42 on a large-scale data centre project remains on track despite geopolitical tensions.

OpenAI also announced its first permanent London office, with a capacity of more than 500, and reportedly plans to double its overall headcount by the end of the year.

Globally, the company’s annualised revenue surpassed $20 billion last year, according to its Chief Financial Officer, Sarah Friar.