“It’s the biggest job ever landed by a French person in tech!”: How Fidji Simo became the most powerful French woman in Silicon Valley

" I am pleased to announce the arrival of Fidji Simo as Director of Applications. She will report directly to me and help us optimize the execution of our missions," wrote Sam Altman , CEO of OpenAI , to his colleagues on May 7. This shines a little more light on this 39-year-old Frenchwoman whose career path resembles a true American success story. Poached from Instacart, where she was CEO, she officially takes up her new position on Monday within one of the most prominent companies in the world. Alongside Sam Altman, she will focus on monetization and product development.

Originally from Sète, in Hérault, Fidji Simo is a rare bird, a profile far removed from the codes of Silicon Valley . Her world was initially closer to fresh fish sold at auction than to computers and technology. While her mother ran a business in downtown Sète, her…