Robert Keele’s Big‑Family Move: Head of Legal Bids Farewell to xAI
In a heartfelt post on X and LinkedIn, Robert Keele announced that he’s stepping down as xAI’s chief legal officer after just over a year. He wanted to rewrite the story of his days—turning the spotlight back onto his two toddlers.
Why the Switch?
“I love my big‑sized little ones and I haven’t seen enough of them lately,” Keele told his followers, acknowledging a “daylight between our worldviews” with boss Elon Musk—who, amen, has yet to say a word about the exit.
While he praised his stint at the AI startup as “incredible” and the adventure of a lifetime, he admitted the difficulty of being bound to two workloads: “I can’t keep riding two horses at once—family and the job.”
From Fractional to Full‑Time
When he first joined the row in May 2024, Keele had just launched his own lean legal outfit—Keele Law—which lasted a fleeting ~3 weeks. “I wasn’t going to pass on the chance to run legal at xAI,” he wrote, describing himself as “beyond stoked, and insanely lucky.”
Big Bucks & Quick Growth
Shortly after Keele’s arrival, xAI raised a whopping $6 billion in a Series B round, with the likes of Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital on board, pitching the company at $24 billion. By March this year, xAI had an acquisition of Musk’s social media platform X in a deal that valued xAI at a mind‑blowing $80 billion and X at $33 billion.
Keele’s Legal Footprint
- Elroy Air – Head of Legal for an autonomous aircraft maker
- Airbus – General Counsel at the Silicon Valley innovation hub
- Yea, he’s got a track record that’s short‑but‑sweet and deep‑in‑the‑law‑field.
The New Captain for Legal—Lily Lim
Taking the reins is Lily Lim, a former NASA rocket scientist who helped chart the surface of Venus. Her transition to law saw her spending time at ServiceNow and other firms before landing a role as a privacy and IP specialist at xAI in late 2024.
Musk‑Style Turnover: A Recurring Theme
xAI isn’t the only place shaking hands with fresh faces. X’s CEO Linda Yaccarino exited last month, and Tesla recently lost several key executives. Musk’s empire is known for its demanding culture—long hours, the occasional office sleep session, and a relentless push for speed.
And That’s the Wrap‑Up!
With Keele’s departure, xAI will keep navigating the wild terrain of AI innovation while carving out its own path in the tech galaxy. For now, the law department will be steered by Lily Lim—rocket scientist turned lawyer—seeking to keep the ship on course while keeping an eye on the stars.
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Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda
Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise.
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Some newer companies appear to have adopted a similar mentality to get ahead of rivals, including AI coding startup Cognition, which is looking to aggressively shrink its team. In fact, its CEO recently told employees in an email that he doesn’t believe in work-life balance.