'Incredibly difficult': Atlassian CEO on decision of laying off 1,600 engineers

AI Summary

Atlassian has laid off approximately 1,600 employees, about 10% of its global workforce, primarily impacting R&D roles, to redirect investment toward AI and enterprise sales. CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes described the decision as difficult but necessary for the company's competitiveness. Severance and restructuring costs are estimated to exceed $236 million.

Atlassian has laid off approximately 1,600 employees, about 10% of its global workforce, to invest more in AI and enterprise sales. The cuts primarily affected R&D roles. CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes highlighted the difficult decision, emphasizing the need for competitiveness. The company is offering generous severance packages, with redundancy and office exit costs estimated at over $236 million.