Sarah Friar: Difference between revisions

The neutral encyclopedia of notable people
Content engine: create biography for Sarah Friar (2599 words)
 
Content engine: create biography for Sarah Friar (2695 words) [update]
 
Line 3: Line 3:
| birth_name  = Sarah Jane Friar
| birth_name  = Sarah Jane Friar
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1972|12|24}}
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1972|12|24}}
| birth_place  = [[Sion Mills]], [[County Tyrone]], Northern Ireland
| birth_place  = [[Sion Mills]], [[County Tyrone]], [[Northern Ireland]]
| nationality  = Irish, American
| nationality  = Irish, American
| occupation  = Business executive
| occupation  = Business executive
| known_for    = CFO of [[OpenAI]], CEO of [[Nextdoor]], CFO of [[Square, Inc.|Block, Inc. (Square)]]
| known_for    = CFO of [[OpenAI]], CEO of [[Nextdoor]], CFO of [[Square, Inc.|Square (Block, Inc.)]]
| education    = [[Stanford Graduate School of Business]] (MBA, 2000)
| education    = [[Stanford Graduate School of Business]] (MBA, 2000)
| children    = 2
| children    = 2
Line 12: Line 12:
}}
}}


'''Sarah Jane Friar''' (born 24 December 1972) is an Irish-American business executive who has served as chief financial officer (CFO) of [[OpenAI]] since June 2024. Born in the small village of [[Sion Mills]] in [[County Tyrone]], Northern Ireland, during the height of [[the Troubles]], Friar rose through the ranks of global finance and technology to become one of the most prominent executives in [[Silicon Valley]]. She served as chief executive officer of the neighborhood social networking platform [[Nextdoor]] from 2018 to 2024, leading the company through its transition to a publicly traded entity, and prior to that spent six years as CFO of [[Square, Inc.]] (now [[Block, Inc.]]), helping guide the payments company through a period of significant growth and its [[initial public offering]].<ref name="sfchronicle">{{cite news |title=Square CFO Sarah Friar steps down to join Nextdoor |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Square-CFO-Sarah-Friar-steps-down-to-join-13297306.php |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref><ref name="telegraph">{{cite news |title=From a village in Northern Ireland to the top of Silicon Valley: how Sarah Friar became one of tech's most powerful women |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2019/05/13/village-northern-ireland-top-silicon-valley-sarah-friar-became/ |work=The Telegraph |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> In November 2025, Friar was elected to the [[Stanford University]] Board of Trustees.<ref name="stanford-trustees">{{cite web |title=Stanford Board of Trustees elects two new members |url=https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/11/board-trustees-new-members-bob-sternfels-sarah-friar |publisher=Stanford University |date=2025-11-04 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> She has also served on the board of directors of [[Walmart]].<ref name="walmart">{{cite web |title=Sarah Friar — Leadership |url=https://corporate.walmart.com/leadership/sarah-friar |publisher=Walmart |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
'''Sarah Jane Friar''' (born 24 December 1972) is an Irish-American business executive who has served as chief financial officer (CFO) of [[OpenAI]] since June 2024.<ref name="stanford-digi">{{cite web |title=Sarah Friar |url=http://digitaleconomy.stanford.edu/person/sarah-friar/ |publisher=Stanford Digital Economy Lab |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Born in the small village of [[Sion Mills]] in [[County Tyrone]], [[Northern Ireland]], Friar rose through the ranks of global finance and technology to become one of the most prominent executives in [[Silicon Valley]]. She served as chief executive officer of the neighborhood social networking company [[Nextdoor]] from 2018 to 2024 and as CFO of [[Square, Inc.]] (now [[Block, Inc.]]) from 2012 to 2018, guiding both companies through transformative periods of growth.<ref name="sfchronicle">{{cite news |title=Square CFO Sarah Friar steps down to join Nextdoor |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Square-CFO-Sarah-Friar-steps-down-to-join-13297306.php |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> In November 2025, Friar was elected to the [[Stanford University]] Board of Trustees.<ref name="stanford-trustees">{{cite web |title=Stanford Board of Trustees elects two new members |url=https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/11/board-trustees-new-members-bob-sternfels-sarah-friar |publisher=[[Stanford University]] |date=2025-11-04 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Her career has spanned investment banking, equity research, and corporate leadership at some of the most significant technology companies of the early 21st century. Friar was appointed an [[Order of the British Empire|Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours for services to technology.<ref name="obe-strabane">{{cite news |title=Sion Mills native awarded an OBE in Queen's Birthday Honours |url=https://www.strabaneweekly.co.uk/news/2019/06/21/gallery/sion-mills-native-awarded-an-obe-in-queen-s-birthday-honours-5041/ |work=Strabane Weekly |date=2019-06-21 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


== Early Life ==
== Early Life ==


Sarah Jane Friar was born on 24 December 1972 in [[Sion Mills]], a small village in [[County Tyrone]], Northern Ireland.<ref name="telegraph" /> She grew up during [[the Troubles]], the period of sectarian conflict that shaped life in Northern Ireland for decades. In a 2020 interview with ''[[The New York Times]]'', Friar discussed her upbringing and the formative influence of growing up in a divided society.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |title=Sarah Friar of Nextdoor: 'I Do Believe Strongly inEli |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/13/business/sarah-friar-nextdoor-corner-office.html |work=The New York Times |date=2020-08-13 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The experience of living in a community marked by conflict and division would later inform her interest in fostering local connections and neighborliness — themes central to her tenure at Nextdoor.<ref name="belfasttelegraph-nextdoor">{{cite news |title=Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar: My business has taken off in Northern Ireland as people here are so neighbourly |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/technology/nextdoor-ceo-sarah-friar-my-business-has-taken-off-in-northern-ireland-as-people-here-are-so-neighbourly/39000823.html |work=Belfast Telegraph |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Sarah Jane Friar was born on 24 December 1972 in [[Sion Mills]], a small village in [[County Tyrone]], [[Northern Ireland]].<ref name="telegraph-village">{{cite news |title=From a village in Northern Ireland to the top of Silicon Valley: how Sarah Friar became one of tech's most powerful women |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2019/05/13/village-northern-ireland-top-silicon-valley-sarah-friar-became/ |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=2019-05-13 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> She grew up during [[the Troubles]], the prolonged ethno-nationalist conflict that affected Northern Ireland for decades. Sion Mills is a predominantly [[Protestantism|Protestant]] village situated along the [[River Mourne]] in the western part of the county, near the town of [[Strabane]]. In interviews, Friar has spoken about how her upbringing in a small, close-knit community during a period of civil unrest shaped her worldview and later influenced her interest in building stronger neighborhood connections — a theme that would become central to her work at Nextdoor.<ref name="nyt-corner">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2020-08-13 |title=Sarah Friar, Nextdoor Corner Office |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/13/business/sarah-friar-nextdoor-corner-office.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref><ref name="belfast-neighbourly">{{cite news |title=Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar: My business has taken off in Northern Ireland as people here are so neighbourly |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/technology/nextdoor-ceo-sarah-friar-my-business-has-taken-off-in-northern-ireland-as-people-here-are-so-neighbourly/39000823.html |work=[[Belfast Telegraph]] |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Sion Mills, situated near [[Strabane]] in the western part of Northern Ireland, was a small and close-knit community. Friar has spoken publicly about how her roots in the village shaped her worldview and her approach to business leadership.<ref name="strabane">{{cite news |title=Sion Mills native awarded an OBE in Queen's Birthday Honours |url=https://www.strabaneweekly.co.uk/news/2019/06/21/gallery/sion-mills-native-awarded-an-obe-in-queen-s-birthday-honours-5041/ |work=Strabane Weekly |date=2019-06-21 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> In her [[LinkedIn]] banner photo, she quotes the late Irish poet [[Seamus Heaney]]: "Walk on air, against your better judgment," a line that colleagues and profiles have noted reflects her willingness to take risks throughout her career.<ref name="gsb-catalyst">{{cite web |title=Sarah Friar, MBA '00 |url=https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/alumni/news/catalyst/sarah-friar-mba-00 |publisher=Stanford Graduate School of Business |date=2025-10-06 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Friar has often drawn connections between her Northern Irish roots and her professional career. The experience of growing up in a community where people looked out for one another despite the broader political turmoil informed her belief in the power of local connections. In her [[LinkedIn]] banner photo, Friar has quoted the late Irish poet [[Seamus Heaney]]: "Walk on air, against your better judgment," a line that she has cited as a guiding philosophy throughout her career.<ref name="gsb-catalyst">{{cite web |title=Sarah Friar, MBA '00 |url=https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/alumni/news/catalyst/sarah-friar-mba-00 |publisher=[[Stanford Graduate School of Business]] |date=2025-10-06 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Friar's journey from Northern Ireland to the upper echelons of Silicon Valley was described by ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'' in a 2019 profile that traced her path from the village to the top of the American technology industry.<ref name="telegraph" /> The ''[[Belfast Telegraph]]'' also covered her trajectory, highlighting her as one of Northern Ireland's most prominent figures in global business.<ref name="belfasttelegraph-nextdoor" />
The BBC has reported on Friar's journey from Northern Ireland to Silicon Valley, highlighting her as one of the most prominent business figures to emerge from the region.<ref name="bbc-ni">{{cite news |title=Sarah Friar |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-40138430 |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


== Education ==
== Education ==


Friar studied engineering and economics at universities in the United Kingdom before pursuing graduate education in the United States. She earned a [[Master of Business Administration]] (MBA) from the [[Stanford Graduate School of Business]] in 2000.<ref name="gsb-voices">{{cite web |title=Sarah Friar — Alumni Voices |url=https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/programs/mba/life-community/alumni/voices/sarah-friar |publisher=Stanford Graduate School of Business |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Her time at Stanford proved formative for her career in technology and finance, and she has maintained close ties to the university throughout her career.
Friar studied engineering and economics at the university level before pursuing graduate business education. She earned her [[Master of Business Administration]] (MBA) from the [[Stanford Graduate School of Business]] in 2000.<ref name="gsb-alumni">{{cite web |title=Sarah Friar — Alumni Voices |url=https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/programs/mba/life-community/alumni/voices/sarah-friar |publisher=[[Stanford Graduate School of Business]] |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> In 2018, [[Ulster University]] conferred an honorary degree upon Friar in recognition of her achievements in the technology industry.<ref name="ulster-grad">{{cite news |title=Ulster University graduations: results honour for Silicon Valley boss Sarah Friar |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/ulster-university-graduations-results-honour-for-silicon-valley-boss-sarah-friar/37097053.html |work=[[Belfast Telegraph]] |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The recognition reflected her status as one of Northern Ireland's most prominent exports to the global technology industry. In November 2025, Friar was elected to the Stanford University Board of Trustees, further cementing her long-standing relationship with the university where she had received her MBA a quarter-century earlier.<ref name="stanford-trustees" />


In 2018, [[Ulster University]] conferred an honorary degree upon Friar in recognition of her achievements in the technology industry, an event covered by the ''Belfast Telegraph''.<ref name="ulster-honorary">{{cite news |title=Ulster University graduations: Results honour for Silicon Valley boss Sarah Friar |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/ulster-university-graduations-results-honour-for-silicon-valley-boss-sarah-friar/37097053.html |work=Belfast Telegraph |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Friar was later elected to the Stanford University Board of Trustees in November 2025, alongside [[McKinsey & Company]] global managing partner Bob Sternfels.<ref name="stanford-trustees" />
== Career ==


== Career ==
=== Early career and Wall Street ===
 
Before entering the technology industry as a corporate executive, Friar built a career in investment banking and equity research on [[Wall Street]]. She worked at [[Goldman Sachs]], where she served as a senior analyst covering the technology sector. Her experience in finance and her analytical background provided a foundation for the executive roles she would later assume at major technology companies.<ref name="telegraph-village" /><ref name="forbes-profile">{{cite web |title=Sarah Friar |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/sarah-friar/ |publisher=[[Forbes]] |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


=== Early Career and Wall Street ===
=== Salesforce.com ===


Prior to entering the technology sector, Friar built a career in finance. After completing her MBA at Stanford in 2000, she worked as an analyst and executive at prominent financial institutions. Her experience on [[Wall Street]] provided her with deep expertise in corporate finance, capital markets, and strategic planning, skills that would later define her roles at major technology companies.<ref name="telegraph" /><ref name="gsb-voices" />
Prior to joining Square, Friar held positions at [[Salesforce]], the enterprise cloud computing company. Her time at Salesforce gave her experience working inside a major technology firm and managing financial operations during a period of rapid growth in the [[cloud computing]] industry.<ref name="forbes-profile" />


=== Square, Inc. (2012–2018) ===
=== Square, Inc. (2012–2018) ===


In 2012, Friar joined [[Square, Inc.]] (later renamed [[Block, Inc.]]) as chief financial officer. Square, founded by [[Jack Dorsey]] and [[Jim McKelvey]], was then a rapidly growing financial technology company focused on providing payment processing services to small businesses. As CFO, Friar oversaw the company's financial operations during a period of significant expansion.<ref name="sfchronicle" />
Friar joined [[Square, Inc.]] (later renamed [[Block, Inc.]]) as CFO in 2012. At Square, she played a central role in the company's financial strategy during a formative period. The payments company, co-founded by [[Jack Dorsey]], was at that time still a relatively young startup seeking to disrupt the financial services industry by enabling small businesses to accept card payments through mobile devices.


One of Friar's most notable accomplishments at Square was her role in guiding the company through its [[initial public offering]] (IPO). Square went public on the [[New York Stock Exchange]] in November 2015, and Friar was instrumental in the financial preparations and investor relations surrounding the offering.<ref name="sfchronicle" />
As CFO, Friar was instrumental in guiding Square through its [[initial public offering]] (IPO). Her tenure coincided with a period in which Square expanded its suite of financial products and services, growing from a payment processing hardware company into a broader financial technology platform. Her financial leadership was recognized within the industry, and she became one of the most high-profile CFOs in Silicon Valley.<ref name="sfchronicle" />


During her six-year tenure as CFO, Square expanded its suite of financial products and grew its revenue substantially. Friar earned a reputation as one of the most effective CFOs in the technology industry. In 2017, she joined the board of directors of [[Slack Technologies]], further extending her influence in the tech sector.<ref name="vox">{{cite news |title=Slack adds Square CFO Sarah Friar to its board |url=https://www.vox.com/2017/3/15/14932828/slack-square-cfo-sarah-friar-board |work=Vox |date=2017-03-15 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
During her time at Square, Friar also took on external board roles. In 2017, she joined the board of [[Slack Technologies]], the workplace messaging platform, drawing attention as a prominent technology executive expanding her influence across the sector.<ref name="vox-slack">{{cite news |title=Slack adds Square CFO Sarah Friar to its board |url=https://www.vox.com/2017/3/15/14932828/slack-square-cfo-sarah-friar-board |work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]] |date=2017-03-15 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Friar departed Square in October 2018 to become CEO of Nextdoor. The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' reported on her departure, noting her significant contributions to Square's growth and public market debut.<ref name="sfchronicle" />
After six years as Square's CFO, Friar announced her departure in October 2018 to become CEO of Nextdoor. Her exit was covered extensively in the business press, with the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' and other outlets noting the significance of her move from one of Silicon Valley's most closely watched fintech companies to lead a social networking startup focused on local communities.<ref name="sfchronicle" />


=== Nextdoor (2018–2024) ===
=== Nextdoor (2018–2024) ===


In October 2018, Friar was appointed chief executive officer of [[Nextdoor]], the American hyperlocal social networking platform that connects neighbors within geographic communities. Her appointment marked a shift from a financial leadership role to a general management position, and it represented one of the few instances at the time of a CFO from a major technology firm transitioning directly into a CEO role at another significant technology company.<ref name="sfchronicle" /><ref name="telegraph" />
In October 2018, Friar was named chief executive officer of [[Nextdoor]], the neighborhood-focused social networking platform. The appointment marked a transition from financial leadership to the top operational role at a company whose mission — fostering connections among neighbors — resonated with Friar's own background growing up in a close-knit Northern Irish village.<ref name="nyt-corner" /><ref name="belfast-neighbourly" />


Friar's background growing up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles was frequently cited in profiles as a driving motivation behind her interest in Nextdoor's mission of fostering local community connections. In interviews, she drew parallels between the divided communities of her childhood and the potential for technology to bring neighbors together.<ref name="nyt" /><ref name="belfasttelegraph-nextdoor" /> In a 2020 interview with ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'', Friar discussed her leadership philosophy and the challenges facing the platform.<ref name="fortune-mpw">{{cite news |title=Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar |url=https://fortune.com/2020/09/30/nextdoor-ceo-sarah-friar-mpw-summit/ |work=Fortune |date=2020-09-30 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Under Friar's leadership, Nextdoor underwent significant expansion. The platform, which allows users to connect with others in their local neighborhood, grew its user base and expanded into new markets. Friar frequently spoke about the company's mission in interviews, including at the [[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] Most Powerful Women Summit in 2020, where she discussed her vision for how Nextdoor could strengthen communities.<ref name="fortune-mpw">{{cite news |title=Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar at the MPW Summit |url=https://fortune.com/2020/09/30/nextdoor-ceo-sarah-friar-mpw-summit/ |work=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] |date=2020-09-30 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Under Friar's leadership, Nextdoor experienced significant growth, particularly during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], when demand for local information and neighborhood connectivity surged. The platform became a key resource for communities organizing mutual aid, sharing public health information, and staying connected during lockdowns.<ref name="times-archive">{{cite web |title=Nextdoor Sarah Friar interview: Covid lockdown, Northern Ireland |url=https://archive.today/20220123044335/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/nextdoor-sarah-friar-interview-covid-lockdown-northern-ireland-lncqhj0hh |publisher=The Times (archived) |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
In a 2020 interview with ''[[The New York Times]]'' for its "Corner Office" series, Friar discussed her leadership philosophy and the path that led her from Northern Ireland to Silicon Valley.<ref name="nyt-corner" /> She also spoke with the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' about where she sought advice in running the company.<ref name="wsj-neighborly">{{cite news |title=Where Nextdoor's CEO Looks for Neighborly Advice |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/where-nextdoors-ceo-looks-for-neighborly-advice-11614402041 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=2021-02-27 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


A major milestone of Friar's tenure was Nextdoor's transition to a publicly traded company. In 2021, Nextdoor went public through a [[special-purpose acquisition company]] (SPAC) deal that valued the company at approximately $3.6 billion, according to reporting by the ''[[Irish Independent]]''.<ref name="independent-ie">{{cite news |title=Tyrone's Sarah Friar leads US Nextdoor into $3.6bn SPAC deal |url=https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/tyrones-sarah-friar-leads-usnextdoor-into-36bn-spac-deal-40621373.html |work=Irish Independent |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The SPAC merger allowed Nextdoor to access public capital markets and represented a significant achievement for Friar and the company.
One of the most significant milestones of Friar's tenure as CEO was taking Nextdoor public. In 2021, the company went public through a [[special-purpose acquisition company]] (SPAC) merger, in a deal that valued Nextdoor at approximately $3.6 billion. The ''[[Irish Independent]]'' reported on the deal, highlighting Friar's Tyrone roots and her role in leading the American technology company to the public markets.<ref name="independent-spac">{{cite news |title=Tyrone's Sarah Friar leads US Nextdoor into $3.6bn SPAC deal |url=https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/tyrones-sarah-friar-leads-usnextdoor-into-36bn-spac-deal-40621373.html |work=[[Irish Independent]] |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


Friar also sought to address ongoing challenges at Nextdoor, including content moderation issues and efforts to prevent discrimination and racial profiling on the platform. In a 2021 interview with ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', she discussed where she looked for advice in navigating these complex issues.<ref name="wsj">{{cite news |title=Where Nextdoor's CEO Looks for Neighborly Advice |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/where-nextdoors-ceo-looks-for-neighborly-advice-11614402041 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=2021-02-27 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Friar's time at Nextdoor also coincided with the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], during which the platform saw increased usage as people turned to hyperlocal networks to organize mutual aid, share information about local resources, and stay connected while under lockdown orders. In an interview with ''[[The Times]]'', Friar discussed how the pandemic had impacted both the company and communities across Northern Ireland and beyond.<ref name="times-covid">{{cite web |title=Nextdoor Sarah Friar interview: Covid, lockdown, Northern Ireland |url=https://archive.today/20220123044335/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/nextdoor-sarah-friar-interview-covid-lockdown-northern-ireland-lncqhj0hh |publisher=[[The Times]] (archived) |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


In February 2024, it was reported that Friar would step down as CEO of Nextdoor, as covered by ''[[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]]''.<ref name="barrons">{{cite web |title=Nextdoor Stock: CEO Exits |url=https://archive.today/20240224023818/https://www.barrons.com/amp/articles/nextdoor-stock-ceo-exits-82118881 |publisher=Barron's (archived) |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Her departure came after roughly five and a half years at the helm of the company.
Friar stepped down as CEO of Nextdoor in 2024, as reported by ''[[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]]''.<ref name="barrons-exit">{{cite web |title=Nextdoor stock: CEO exits |url=https://archive.today/20240224023818/https://www.barrons.com/amp/articles/nextdoor-stock-ceo-exits-82118881 |publisher=[[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]] (archived) |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Her departure came as she prepared to take on a new role at one of the most closely watched companies in the technology industry.


=== OpenAI (2024–present) ===
=== OpenAI (2024–present) ===


In June 2024, Friar joined [[OpenAI]] as chief financial officer, taking on the finance leadership role at one of the most prominent [[artificial intelligence]] companies in the world.<ref name="stanford-digital-economy">{{cite web |title=Sarah Friar |url=http://digitaleconomy.stanford.edu/person/sarah-friar/ |publisher=Stanford Digital Economy Lab |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The appointment placed Friar at the center of the rapidly evolving AI industry, as OpenAI — the creator of [[ChatGPT]] — navigated questions about its business model, corporate structure, and enormous capital requirements.
In June 2024, Friar was appointed chief financial officer of [[OpenAI]], the artificial intelligence research and deployment company behind [[ChatGPT]].<ref name="stanford-digi" /> The appointment placed Friar at the center of one of the most consequential developments in the technology industry, as OpenAI navigated rapid growth, evolving business models, and intense public scrutiny regarding the development of [[artificial intelligence]].
 
At OpenAI, Friar has been responsible for overseeing the company's financial strategy during a period of significant expansion. In January 2026, she authored a blog post announcing that OpenAI would make 2026 its year of "practical adoption," signaling a shift in emphasis from pure research toward broader commercial deployment of AI technologies.<ref name="cnbc-practical">{{cite news |title=OpenAI to focus on 'practical adoption' in 2026, says finance chief Sarah Friar |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/19/openai-to-focus-on-practical-adoption-in-2026-says-finance-chief-sarah-friar.html |work=[[CNBC]] |date=2026-01-19 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
 
Friar has outlined OpenAI's evolving revenue strategy publicly. In January 2026, ''[[Business Insider]]'' reported on her presentation of new revenue sources to fund the company's computing infrastructure, including expanded partnerships, new subscription tiers, and outcome-based royalties.<ref name="bi-revenue">{{cite news |title=OpenAI's CFO laid out new revenue sources to fund all that compute |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-cfo-sarah-friar-future-revenue-sources-2026-1 |work=[[Business Insider]] |date=2026-01 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> OpenAI published a post describing its business model as one that "scales with intelligence," spanning subscriptions, API access, advertising, commerce, and compute.<ref name="openai-business">{{cite web |title=A business that scales with the value of intelligence |url=https://openai.com/index/a-business-that-scales-with-the-value-of-intelligence/ |publisher=[[OpenAI]] |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


In January 2026, OpenAI published a blog post authored by Friar outlining the company's evolving business strategy. The post described how OpenAI's business model was designed to "scale with intelligence," encompassing revenue streams from subscriptions, [[API]] access, advertising, commerce, and compute services.<ref name="openai-blog">{{cite web |title=A business that scales with the value of intelligence |url=https://openai.com/index/a-business-that-scales-with-the-value-of-intelligence/ |publisher=OpenAI |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> Friar also indicated that OpenAI would make 2026 its year of "practical adoption," focusing on helping organizations integrate AI tools into their operations, as reported by [[CNBC]].<ref name="cnbc-2026">{{cite news |title=OpenAI to focus on 'practical adoption' in 2026, says finance chief Sarah Friar |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/19/openai-to-focus-on-practical-adoption-in-2026-says-finance-chief-sarah-friar.html |work=CNBC |date=2026-01-19 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
In a January 2026 interview with ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'', Friar stated that there was a "mismatch" between AI's abilities and the value that companies were capturing from the technology, suggesting that the full economic potential of artificial intelligence had yet to be realized by most organizations.<ref name="fortune-mismatch">{{cite news |title=OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar: There's a 'mismatch' between AI's abilities and the value companies are capturing |url=https://fortune.com/2026/01/27/openai-cfo-sarah-friar-mismatch-ai-abilities-value-companies-capturing/ |work=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] |date=2026-01-27 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


In an interview covered by ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'' in January 2026, Friar stated that there was a "mismatch" between AI's current abilities and the value that companies were capturing from the technology, suggesting that most organizations were barely scratching the surface of AI's potential.<ref name="fortune-2026">{{cite news |title=OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar: There's a 'mismatch' between AI's abilities and the value companies are capturing |url=https://fortune.com/2026/01/27/openai-cfo-sarah-friar-mismatch-ai-abilities-value-companies-capturing/ |work=Fortune |date=2026-01-27 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> ''[[Business Insider]]'' reported on Friar's efforts to diversify OpenAI's revenue sources, including expanded partnerships, new subscription tiers, and outcome-based royalty arrangements to fund the substantial compute infrastructure required for AI development.<ref name="bi-revenue">{{cite news |title=OpenAI's CFO laid out new revenue sources to fund all that compute |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-cfo-sarah-friar-future-revenue-sources-2026-1 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
In November 2025, Friar clarified in a [[LinkedIn]] post that OpenAI was not seeking a government financial backstop for its operations, responding to public discussion about a prior comment that had been interpreted differently. [[CNBC]] reported on the clarification, which addressed questions about the company's financing and its relationship with government entities.<ref name="cnbc-backstop">{{cite news |title=OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar says company isn't seeking government backstop, clarifying prior comment |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/06/openai-cfo-sarah-friar-says-company-is-not-seeking-government-backstop.html |work=[[CNBC]] |date=2025-11-06 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


In November 2025, Friar clarified via a [[LinkedIn]] post that OpenAI was not seeking a government backstop for its operations, after a prior comment had created confusion. CNBC reported on the clarification, noting Friar's effort to address public misinterpretation of her earlier remarks.<ref name="cnbc-backstop">{{cite news |title=OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar says company isn't seeking government backstop, clarifying prior comment |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/06/openai-cfo-sarah-friar-says-company-is-not-seeking-government-backstop.html |work=CNBC |date=2025-11-06 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
=== Board memberships ===


=== Board Memberships ===
In addition to her executive roles, Friar has served on several corporate boards. She joined the board of [[Slack Technologies]] in 2017 while still serving as CFO of Square.<ref name="vox-slack" /> She has also been associated with [[Walmart]]'s board of directors, as indicated by the company's corporate leadership page.<ref name="walmart-board">{{cite web |title=Sarah Friar — Leadership |url=https://corporate.walmart.com/leadership/sarah-friar |publisher=[[Walmart]] |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>


In addition to her executive roles, Friar has held several board positions. She joined the board of directors of [[Slack Technologies]] in 2017 while still serving as CFO of Square.<ref name="vox" /> She has also served on the board of directors of [[Walmart]], one of the world's largest retailers.<ref name="walmart" /> In November 2025, she was elected to the Stanford University Board of Trustees.<ref name="stanford-trustees" />
In November 2025, Friar was elected to the [[Stanford University]] Board of Trustees alongside Bob Sternfels, the global managing partner of [[McKinsey & Company]]. Stanford described her as "Sarah J. Friar, MBA '00," referencing her Stanford MBA degree.<ref name="stanford-trustees" />


== Personal Life ==
== Personal Life ==


Friar has two children.<ref name="nyt" /> She has maintained connections to her hometown of Sion Mills in Northern Ireland throughout her career, and her Northern Irish identity has been a recurring theme in media profiles. In a 2020 ''New York Times'' profile, she discussed how her upbringing in Northern Ireland shaped her leadership style and her belief in the power of community.<ref name="nyt" />
Friar has two children.<ref name="nyt-corner" /> She has maintained strong ties to Northern Ireland throughout her career. Despite living in the United States, she has spoken frequently about her roots in Sion Mills and the influence of her upbringing on her personal and professional life.<ref name="telegraph-village" /><ref name="belfast-neighbourly" />


Friar has spoken about the influence of the poet [[Seamus Heaney]] on her outlook. Her LinkedIn profile features the Heaney quote "Walk on air, against your better judgment," which colleagues have noted reflects her approach to risk-taking and career decisions.<ref name="gsb-catalyst" />
In interviews, Friar has discussed the particular experience of growing up during the Troubles and how the resilience and community bonds she witnessed in Northern Ireland informed her approach to business leadership. She has been featured in both Northern Irish and British media as one of the region's most prominent figures in the global technology industry.<ref name="bbc-ni" /><ref name="belfast-neighbourly" />


She has also discussed her experiences as a woman in the technology and finance industries and has participated in forums and conferences addressing gender diversity in business leadership, including the ''Fortune'' Most Powerful Women Summit in 2020.<ref name="fortune-mpw" />
Friar has quoted the poet Seamus Heaney as a personal inspiration, displaying his words "Walk on air, against your better judgment" on her LinkedIn profile.<ref name="gsb-catalyst" />


== Recognition ==
== Recognition ==


=== Honours ===
Friar has received multiple honors and forms of recognition throughout her career.
 
In June 2019, Friar was appointed an [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the [[Queen's Birthday Honours]] for services to technology.<ref name="strabane" /> The honour was reported in the full Queen's Birthday Honours list published by ''[[i (newspaper)|i News]]''.<ref name="inews">{{cite news |title=Queen's Birthday Honours list 2019: Full list of MBE, OBE, CBE, knighthood, damehood — everyone on the list |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/queen-birthday-honours-list-2019-full-mbe-obe-cbe-knighthood-damehood-everyone-299772 |work=i News |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The recognition drew attention to Friar's journey from Sion Mills to leadership positions in Silicon Valley and was covered by regional media in Northern Ireland.<ref name="strabane" />


=== Honorary Degrees ===
In the 2019 [[Queen's Birthday Honours]], Friar was appointed an [[Order of the British Empire|Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) for services to technology.<ref name="obe-strabane" /><ref name="obe-inews">{{cite news |title=Queen's Birthday Honours list 2019 in full |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/queen-birthday-honours-list-2019-full-mbe-obe-cbe-knighthood-damehood-everyone-299772 |work=[[i (newspaper)|i]] |date=2019-06-08 |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> The honour recognized both her professional achievements and her role in promoting the technology sector.


In 2018, [[Ulster University]] conferred an honorary degree upon Friar, recognizing her contributions to the global technology industry and her role as a prominent figure from Northern Ireland in international business.<ref name="ulster-honorary" />
In 2018, [[Ulster University]] awarded Friar an honorary degree during its graduation ceremonies, acknowledging her accomplishments in the technology industry and her roots in Northern Ireland.<ref name="ulster-grad" />


=== Media Recognition ===
Friar has been recognized by ''[[Forbes]]'' on its profile of notable executives<ref name="forbes-profile" /> and has been featured at the ''Fortune'' Most Powerful Women Summit.<ref name="fortune-mpw" /> She has been profiled extensively in ''[[The New York Times]]'',<ref name="nyt-corner" /> ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'',<ref name="wsj-neighborly" /> ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'',<ref name="telegraph-village" /> the ''[[Financial Times]]'',<ref name="ft-profile">{{cite news |title=Sarah Friar profile |url=https://www.ft.com/content/b0ead0ac-e677-4782-8957-a126bd44d515 |work=[[Financial Times]] |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> and the [[BBC]].<ref name="bbc-ni" />


Friar has been profiled extensively in major international media outlets, including ''[[The New York Times]]'',<ref name="nyt" /> ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'',<ref name="wsj" /> ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'',<ref name="telegraph" /> the ''[[Financial Times]]'',<ref name="ft">{{cite news |title=Sarah Friar profile |url=https://www.ft.com/content/b0ead0ac-e677-4782-8957-a126bd44d515 |work=Financial Times |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> and ''[[Forbes]]''.<ref name="forbes">{{cite web |title=Sarah Friar |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/sarah-friar/ |publisher=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> She has been included in various lists recognizing influential business leaders and has been a featured speaker at major business and technology conferences. The [[BBC]] also profiled Friar, highlighting her Northern Irish roots and her rise in the technology sector.<ref name="bbc">{{cite news |title=Sarah Friar profile |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-40138430 |work=BBC News |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>
Her election to the Stanford University Board of Trustees in 2025 represented a further recognition of her standing in both the business and academic communities.<ref name="stanford-trustees" />


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


Friar's career trajectory — from a small village in Northern Ireland during the Troubles to the C-suite of some of Silicon Valley's most prominent technology companies — has made her one of the most notable business figures to emerge from Northern Ireland. Her transition from CFO of Square to CEO of Nextdoor and then to CFO of OpenAI reflects a career marked by movement across different facets of the technology industry, from financial technology to social networking to artificial intelligence.
Friar's career trajectory — from a small village in Northern Ireland to the executive suites of some of Silicon Valley's most significant companies — has made her a notable figure in the global technology industry. Her progression from Wall Street analyst to CFO of Square, CEO of Nextdoor, and CFO of OpenAI represents a career that has intersected with several of the most consequential trends in technology and finance, including the rise of mobile payments, the growth of social networking, and the emergence of artificial intelligence.


Her appointment as CFO of OpenAI in 2024 placed her at the nexus of one of the most consequential technological developments of the early 21st century. As the AI industry has grown in scale and influence, Friar's role in shaping OpenAI's financial strategy and business model has attracted significant attention from investors, policymakers, and the broader technology community.<ref name="fortune-2026" /><ref name="openai-blog" />
Her role at Square during its IPO and growth phase established her as one of the leading financial executives in the technology sector. At Nextdoor, she led the company through its SPAC-driven public listing and guided it through the challenges and opportunities presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, when demand for hyperlocal social networking surged.<ref name="independent-spac" /><ref name="times-covid" />


Friar's repeated emphasis on the gap between AI's technical capabilities and the value organizations are extracting from the technology has positioned her as a prominent voice in discussions about AI's practical deployment.<ref name="fortune-2026" /> Her leadership at Nextdoor during the COVID-19 pandemic, and her earlier work at Square during the company's formative public years, have been cited as examples of her ability to guide technology companies through periods of rapid change and uncertainty.<ref name="times-archive" /><ref name="sfchronicle" />
At OpenAI, Friar holds one of the most prominent CFO positions in the technology industry, overseeing the financial operations of a company at the forefront of the development and commercialization of artificial intelligence. Her public statements about the "mismatch" between AI capabilities and their commercial adoption, as well as her outlining of new revenue models, have positioned her as a central voice in discussions about the economics of AI.<ref name="fortune-mismatch" /><ref name="bi-revenue" />


Her election to the Stanford University Board of Trustees in 2025 further cemented her standing in the American technology and education establishment, while her OBE and honorary degree from Ulster University reflect continued recognition in her country of birth.<ref name="stanford-trustees" /><ref name="ulster-honorary" />
In Northern Ireland, Friar has been recognized as one of the region's most successful exports to the global technology industry. Her OBE, her honorary degree from Ulster University, and her frequent references to her upbringing in Sion Mills have kept her connected to her origins even as her career has taken her to the highest levels of American business.<ref name="obe-strabane" /><ref name="ulster-grad" /><ref name="telegraph-village" />


== References ==
== References ==
<references />
<references />


[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Business executives]]
[[Category:Business executives]]
[[Category:Finance]]
[[Category:Finance]]
[[Category:American people]]
[[Category:American people]]
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:Irish emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from County Tyrone]]
[[Category:People from County Tyrone]]
[[Category:Northern Irish businesspeople]]
[[Category:Irish-American business executives]]
[[Category:Stanford Graduate School of Business alumni]]
[[Category:Stanford Graduate School of Business alumni]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:American chief financial officers]]
[[Category:American chief executives]]
[[Category:OpenAI people]]
[[Category:OpenAI people]]
[[Category:Nextdoor]]
[[Category:Women business executives]]
[[Category:Block, Inc. people]]
[[Category:Northern Ireland businesspeople]]
[[Category:Women chief executives]]
[[Category:American technology executives]]
[[Category:Women chief financial officers]]
[[Category:Chief financial officers]]
[[Category:Chief executive officers]]
<html><script type="application/ld+json">
<html><script type="application/ld+json">
{
{

Latest revision as of 07:06, 24 February 2026


Sarah Friar
BornSarah Jane Friar
24 12, 1972
BirthplaceSion Mills, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
NationalityIrish, American
OccupationBusiness executive
Known forCFO of OpenAI, CEO of Nextdoor, CFO of Square (Block, Inc.)
EducationStanford Graduate School of Business (MBA, 2000)
Children2
AwardsOBE (2019)

Sarah Jane Friar (born 24 December 1972) is an Irish-American business executive who has served as chief financial officer (CFO) of OpenAI since June 2024.[1] Born in the small village of Sion Mills in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, Friar rose through the ranks of global finance and technology to become one of the most prominent executives in Silicon Valley. She served as chief executive officer of the neighborhood social networking company Nextdoor from 2018 to 2024 and as CFO of Square, Inc. (now Block, Inc.) from 2012 to 2018, guiding both companies through transformative periods of growth.[2] In November 2025, Friar was elected to the Stanford University Board of Trustees.[3] Her career has spanned investment banking, equity research, and corporate leadership at some of the most significant technology companies of the early 21st century. Friar was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours for services to technology.[4]

Early Life

Sarah Jane Friar was born on 24 December 1972 in Sion Mills, a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.[5] She grew up during the Troubles, the prolonged ethno-nationalist conflict that affected Northern Ireland for decades. Sion Mills is a predominantly Protestant village situated along the River Mourne in the western part of the county, near the town of Strabane. In interviews, Friar has spoken about how her upbringing in a small, close-knit community during a period of civil unrest shaped her worldview and later influenced her interest in building stronger neighborhood connections — a theme that would become central to her work at Nextdoor.[6][7]

Friar has often drawn connections between her Northern Irish roots and her professional career. The experience of growing up in a community where people looked out for one another despite the broader political turmoil informed her belief in the power of local connections. In her LinkedIn banner photo, Friar has quoted the late Irish poet Seamus Heaney: "Walk on air, against your better judgment," a line that she has cited as a guiding philosophy throughout her career.[8]

The BBC has reported on Friar's journey from Northern Ireland to Silicon Valley, highlighting her as one of the most prominent business figures to emerge from the region.[9]

Education

Friar studied engineering and economics at the university level before pursuing graduate business education. She earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2000.[10] In 2018, Ulster University conferred an honorary degree upon Friar in recognition of her achievements in the technology industry.[11] The recognition reflected her status as one of Northern Ireland's most prominent exports to the global technology industry. In November 2025, Friar was elected to the Stanford University Board of Trustees, further cementing her long-standing relationship with the university where she had received her MBA a quarter-century earlier.[3]

Career

Early career and Wall Street

Before entering the technology industry as a corporate executive, Friar built a career in investment banking and equity research on Wall Street. She worked at Goldman Sachs, where she served as a senior analyst covering the technology sector. Her experience in finance and her analytical background provided a foundation for the executive roles she would later assume at major technology companies.[5][12]

Salesforce.com

Prior to joining Square, Friar held positions at Salesforce, the enterprise cloud computing company. Her time at Salesforce gave her experience working inside a major technology firm and managing financial operations during a period of rapid growth in the cloud computing industry.[12]

Square, Inc. (2012–2018)

Friar joined Square, Inc. (later renamed Block, Inc.) as CFO in 2012. At Square, she played a central role in the company's financial strategy during a formative period. The payments company, co-founded by Jack Dorsey, was at that time still a relatively young startup seeking to disrupt the financial services industry by enabling small businesses to accept card payments through mobile devices.

As CFO, Friar was instrumental in guiding Square through its initial public offering (IPO). Her tenure coincided with a period in which Square expanded its suite of financial products and services, growing from a payment processing hardware company into a broader financial technology platform. Her financial leadership was recognized within the industry, and she became one of the most high-profile CFOs in Silicon Valley.[2]

During her time at Square, Friar also took on external board roles. In 2017, she joined the board of Slack Technologies, the workplace messaging platform, drawing attention as a prominent technology executive expanding her influence across the sector.[13]

After six years as Square's CFO, Friar announced her departure in October 2018 to become CEO of Nextdoor. Her exit was covered extensively in the business press, with the San Francisco Chronicle and other outlets noting the significance of her move from one of Silicon Valley's most closely watched fintech companies to lead a social networking startup focused on local communities.[2]

Nextdoor (2018–2024)

In October 2018, Friar was named chief executive officer of Nextdoor, the neighborhood-focused social networking platform. The appointment marked a transition from financial leadership to the top operational role at a company whose mission — fostering connections among neighbors — resonated with Friar's own background growing up in a close-knit Northern Irish village.[6][7]

Under Friar's leadership, Nextdoor underwent significant expansion. The platform, which allows users to connect with others in their local neighborhood, grew its user base and expanded into new markets. Friar frequently spoke about the company's mission in interviews, including at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in 2020, where she discussed her vision for how Nextdoor could strengthen communities.[14]

In a 2020 interview with The New York Times for its "Corner Office" series, Friar discussed her leadership philosophy and the path that led her from Northern Ireland to Silicon Valley.[6] She also spoke with the Wall Street Journal about where she sought advice in running the company.[15]

One of the most significant milestones of Friar's tenure as CEO was taking Nextdoor public. In 2021, the company went public through a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger, in a deal that valued Nextdoor at approximately $3.6 billion. The Irish Independent reported on the deal, highlighting Friar's Tyrone roots and her role in leading the American technology company to the public markets.[16]

Friar's time at Nextdoor also coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the platform saw increased usage as people turned to hyperlocal networks to organize mutual aid, share information about local resources, and stay connected while under lockdown orders. In an interview with The Times, Friar discussed how the pandemic had impacted both the company and communities across Northern Ireland and beyond.[17]

Friar stepped down as CEO of Nextdoor in 2024, as reported by Barron's.[18] Her departure came as she prepared to take on a new role at one of the most closely watched companies in the technology industry.

OpenAI (2024–present)

In June 2024, Friar was appointed chief financial officer of OpenAI, the artificial intelligence research and deployment company behind ChatGPT.[1] The appointment placed Friar at the center of one of the most consequential developments in the technology industry, as OpenAI navigated rapid growth, evolving business models, and intense public scrutiny regarding the development of artificial intelligence.

At OpenAI, Friar has been responsible for overseeing the company's financial strategy during a period of significant expansion. In January 2026, she authored a blog post announcing that OpenAI would make 2026 its year of "practical adoption," signaling a shift in emphasis from pure research toward broader commercial deployment of AI technologies.[19]

Friar has outlined OpenAI's evolving revenue strategy publicly. In January 2026, Business Insider reported on her presentation of new revenue sources to fund the company's computing infrastructure, including expanded partnerships, new subscription tiers, and outcome-based royalties.[20] OpenAI published a post describing its business model as one that "scales with intelligence," spanning subscriptions, API access, advertising, commerce, and compute.[21]

In a January 2026 interview with Fortune, Friar stated that there was a "mismatch" between AI's abilities and the value that companies were capturing from the technology, suggesting that the full economic potential of artificial intelligence had yet to be realized by most organizations.[22]

In November 2025, Friar clarified in a LinkedIn post that OpenAI was not seeking a government financial backstop for its operations, responding to public discussion about a prior comment that had been interpreted differently. CNBC reported on the clarification, which addressed questions about the company's financing and its relationship with government entities.[23]

Board memberships

In addition to her executive roles, Friar has served on several corporate boards. She joined the board of Slack Technologies in 2017 while still serving as CFO of Square.[13] She has also been associated with Walmart's board of directors, as indicated by the company's corporate leadership page.[24]

In November 2025, Friar was elected to the Stanford University Board of Trustees alongside Bob Sternfels, the global managing partner of McKinsey & Company. Stanford described her as "Sarah J. Friar, MBA '00," referencing her Stanford MBA degree.[3]

Personal Life

Friar has two children.[6] She has maintained strong ties to Northern Ireland throughout her career. Despite living in the United States, she has spoken frequently about her roots in Sion Mills and the influence of her upbringing on her personal and professional life.[5][7]

In interviews, Friar has discussed the particular experience of growing up during the Troubles and how the resilience and community bonds she witnessed in Northern Ireland informed her approach to business leadership. She has been featured in both Northern Irish and British media as one of the region's most prominent figures in the global technology industry.[9][7]

Friar has quoted the poet Seamus Heaney as a personal inspiration, displaying his words "Walk on air, against your better judgment" on her LinkedIn profile.[8]

Recognition

Friar has received multiple honors and forms of recognition throughout her career.

In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours, Friar was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to technology.[4][25] The honour recognized both her professional achievements and her role in promoting the technology sector.

In 2018, Ulster University awarded Friar an honorary degree during its graduation ceremonies, acknowledging her accomplishments in the technology industry and her roots in Northern Ireland.[11]

Friar has been recognized by Forbes on its profile of notable executives[12] and has been featured at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit.[14] She has been profiled extensively in The New York Times,[6] The Wall Street Journal,[15] The Daily Telegraph,[5] the Financial Times,[26] and the BBC.[9]

Her election to the Stanford University Board of Trustees in 2025 represented a further recognition of her standing in both the business and academic communities.[3]

Legacy

Friar's career trajectory — from a small village in Northern Ireland to the executive suites of some of Silicon Valley's most significant companies — has made her a notable figure in the global technology industry. Her progression from Wall Street analyst to CFO of Square, CEO of Nextdoor, and CFO of OpenAI represents a career that has intersected with several of the most consequential trends in technology and finance, including the rise of mobile payments, the growth of social networking, and the emergence of artificial intelligence.

Her role at Square during its IPO and growth phase established her as one of the leading financial executives in the technology sector. At Nextdoor, she led the company through its SPAC-driven public listing and guided it through the challenges and opportunities presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, when demand for hyperlocal social networking surged.[16][17]

At OpenAI, Friar holds one of the most prominent CFO positions in the technology industry, overseeing the financial operations of a company at the forefront of the development and commercialization of artificial intelligence. Her public statements about the "mismatch" between AI capabilities and their commercial adoption, as well as her outlining of new revenue models, have positioned her as a central voice in discussions about the economics of AI.[22][20]

In Northern Ireland, Friar has been recognized as one of the region's most successful exports to the global technology industry. Her OBE, her honorary degree from Ulster University, and her frequent references to her upbringing in Sion Mills have kept her connected to her origins even as her career has taken her to the highest levels of American business.[4][11][5]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Sarah Friar".Stanford Digital Economy Lab.http://digitaleconomy.stanford.edu/person/sarah-friar/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Square CFO Sarah Friar steps down to join Nextdoor".San Francisco Chronicle.https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Square-CFO-Sarah-Friar-steps-down-to-join-13297306.php.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Stanford Board of Trustees elects two new members".Stanford University.2025-11-04.https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/11/board-trustees-new-members-bob-sternfels-sarah-friar.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Sion Mills native awarded an OBE in Queen's Birthday Honours".Strabane Weekly.2019-06-21.https://www.strabaneweekly.co.uk/news/2019/06/21/gallery/sion-mills-native-awarded-an-obe-in-queen-s-birthday-honours-5041/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "From a village in Northern Ireland to the top of Silicon Valley: how Sarah Friar became one of tech's most powerful women".The Daily Telegraph.2019-05-13.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2019/05/13/village-northern-ireland-top-silicon-valley-sarah-friar-became/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 "Sarah Friar, Nextdoor Corner Office".The New York Times.2020-08-13.https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/13/business/sarah-friar-nextdoor-corner-office.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar: My business has taken off in Northern Ireland as people here are so neighbourly".Belfast Telegraph.https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/technology/nextdoor-ceo-sarah-friar-my-business-has-taken-off-in-northern-ireland-as-people-here-are-so-neighbourly/39000823.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Sarah Friar, MBA '00".Stanford Graduate School of Business.2025-10-06.https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/alumni/news/catalyst/sarah-friar-mba-00.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Sarah Friar".BBC News.https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-40138430.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ "Sarah Friar — Alumni Voices".Stanford Graduate School of Business.https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/programs/mba/life-community/alumni/voices/sarah-friar.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Ulster University graduations: results honour for Silicon Valley boss Sarah Friar".Belfast Telegraph.https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/ulster-university-graduations-results-honour-for-silicon-valley-boss-sarah-friar/37097053.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 "Sarah Friar".Forbes.https://www.forbes.com/profile/sarah-friar/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Slack adds Square CFO Sarah Friar to its board".Vox.2017-03-15.https://www.vox.com/2017/3/15/14932828/slack-square-cfo-sarah-friar-board.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar at the MPW Summit".Fortune.2020-09-30.https://fortune.com/2020/09/30/nextdoor-ceo-sarah-friar-mpw-summit/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Where Nextdoor's CEO Looks for Neighborly Advice".The Wall Street Journal.2021-02-27.https://www.wsj.com/articles/where-nextdoors-ceo-looks-for-neighborly-advice-11614402041.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Tyrone's Sarah Friar leads US Nextdoor into $3.6bn SPAC deal".Irish Independent.https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/tyrones-sarah-friar-leads-usnextdoor-into-36bn-spac-deal-40621373.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Nextdoor Sarah Friar interview: Covid, lockdown, Northern Ireland".The Times (archived).https://archive.today/20220123044335/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/nextdoor-sarah-friar-interview-covid-lockdown-northern-ireland-lncqhj0hh.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  18. ↑ "Nextdoor stock: CEO exits".Barron's (archived).https://archive.today/20240224023818/https://www.barrons.com/amp/articles/nextdoor-stock-ceo-exits-82118881.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  19. ↑ "OpenAI to focus on 'practical adoption' in 2026, says finance chief Sarah Friar".CNBC.2026-01-19.https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/19/openai-to-focus-on-practical-adoption-in-2026-says-finance-chief-sarah-friar.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "OpenAI's CFO laid out new revenue sources to fund all that compute".Business Insider.2026-01.https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-cfo-sarah-friar-future-revenue-sources-2026-1.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  21. ↑ "A business that scales with the value of intelligence".OpenAI.https://openai.com/index/a-business-that-scales-with-the-value-of-intelligence/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar: There's a 'mismatch' between AI's abilities and the value companies are capturing".Fortune.2026-01-27.https://fortune.com/2026/01/27/openai-cfo-sarah-friar-mismatch-ai-abilities-value-companies-capturing/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  23. ↑ "OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar says company isn't seeking government backstop, clarifying prior comment".CNBC.2025-11-06.https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/06/openai-cfo-sarah-friar-says-company-is-not-seeking-government-backstop.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  24. ↑ "Sarah Friar — Leadership".Walmart.https://corporate.walmart.com/leadership/sarah-friar.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  25. ↑ "Queen's Birthday Honours list 2019 in full".i.2019-06-08.https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/queen-birthday-honours-list-2019-full-mbe-obe-cbe-knighthood-damehood-everyone-299772.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  26. ↑ "Sarah Friar profile".Financial Times.https://www.ft.com/content/b0ead0ac-e677-4782-8957-a126bd44d515.Retrieved 2026-02-24.

Retrieved from "https://biography.wiki/index.php?title=Sarah_Friar&oldid=947"