Microsoft's Chief Commercial Officer takes sabbatical amid looming layoffs
What's the story
Microsoft's Chief Commercial Officer, Judson Althoff, is taking a two-month-long sabbatical from work. The break comes at the end of the company's fiscal year and just as thousands of job cuts are expected in his department. A company spokesperson has confirmed that Althoff will return with his team in September.
Job cuts
Thousands of employees to be laid off
Last month, Bloomberg reported that Microsoft plans to lay off thousands of employees, especially in sales. The move is part of a broader strategy to trim its workforce amid heavy spending on artificial intelligence (AI). To note, the company usually makes big organizational changes at the end of its fiscal year.
Past cuts
Layoff round in May affected 6,000 workers
The anticipated job cuts follow a major layoff round in May that affected 6,000 employees. The previous cuts mainly targeted product and engineering roles, while customer-facing positions such as sales and marketing were largely spared. Now, with Althoff's sabbatical coinciding with these expected changes, it remains to be seen how the transition will affect Microsoft's sales department.