Nscale Adds Former OpenAI Executive Fidji Simo to Board Ahead of Potential IPO

Nscale has appointed former OpenAI executive Fidji Simo to its board as the U.K.-based AI data centre startup prepares for a potential IPO later this year.

Simo joins Sheryl Sandberg, Susan Decker and Nick Clegg on Nscale’s board. She previously led AGI Deployment at OpenAI and continues to advise the company part-time after leaving in July for health reasons.

Simo adds IPO and platform experience

Before OpenAI, Simo was chair and CEO of Instacart, where she led the company through its 2023 IPO. She also spent more than a decade at Meta, including as head of the Facebook app, and serves on Shopify’s board.

Nscale founder and CEO Josh Payne said Simo brings experience scaling products used by billions of people and understanding the infrastructure required to support them.

Nscale eyes further growth

Nscale, founded two years ago, designs, builds and operates AI data centres. Bloomberg reported last week that the company is seeking to raise as much as $3.5 billion ahead of a planned IPO, citing unnamed sources.

Simo’s appointment adds another executive with public-market and large-scale technology experience as Nscale prepares for its next stage of growth.