2024 has been a tumultuous year for corporate leadership in the tech industry as multiple companies made headlines for ousting their top executives. From tech giants like Intel and SAP to gaming powerhouses such as Bungie and Blizzard, high-profile firings have sparked conversations about shifting priorities, performance pressures, and internal upheavals among tech companies. These sudden departures reflect broader challenges, including the struggle to adapt to evolving market demands, employee dissatisfaction, and controversies surrounding the conduct of some leaders. Here’s a list of tech companies who were sacked, fired or laid off their top executives this year:
Earlier this month, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger was ousted by the company’s board of directors Driven by mounting concerns over Intel’s struggle to regain market share and compete effectively with rivals like Nvidia, the company took this decision According to a Bloomberg report, the board’s confidence in Gelsinger’s leadership eroded after a meeting last week where the company’s performance and future strategies were scrutinised. Given the option to resign or face removal, Gelsinger ultimately chose to step aside.
In September, German IT company SAP SE sacked its Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Jurgen Muller following allegations of sexual harassment. Müller stepped down from his position soon after facing the allegations. German prosecutors also launched a criminal investigation into Muller.
Blizzard president Mike Ybarra announced his decision to leave the company months after Microsoft confirmed its acquisition of gaming studio Activision Blizzard earlier this year. Post his departure, Activision Blizzard faced a series of challenges, including allegations of workplace misconduct and mismanagement. The departure of the World of Warcraft and Overwatch 2 developer added to the company’s ongoing troubles. The studio’s Chief Design Officer Allen Adham also departed from Blizzard. Microsoft also shared plans to appoint a new Blizzard president within a week.
In July, another gaming studio, Bungie announced the layoff of 220 employees accounting for nearly 17% of its workforce, amid rising development costs, industry shifts, and challenging economic conditions. This decision impacted all levels of the company, including many executive and senior leadership positions. Apart from this, Bungie also announced major changes to its cost structure, redirecting its development focus exclusively to titles Destiny and Marathon.
In April, Elon Musk-led car maker Tesla announced layoffs. The executives let go included senior director of EV charging senior executives Rebecca Tinucci and Tesla’s head of the new vehicles program, Daniel Ho along with their respected teams. This followed a round of layoffs that reportedly impacted 14,000 employees.
Last month, security technology company, Evolv Technologies, fired its CEO, Peter George, amid an ongoing investigation into its sales practices. The company’s board of directors made the decision after months of deliberation. Michael Ellenbogen, the current chief innovation officer, was appointed as the interim CEO and president.
Global technology company Comtech fired its CEO Ken Peterman for undisclosed reasons related to conduct in March. The company’s board of directors appointed John Ratigan, the chief corporate development officer, as interim CEO while initiating a search for a permanent CEO.
In July, US-based IT company Intuit laid off about 1,800 employees, affecting 10% of its workforce which also included top executives. With these job cuts, the company was trying to streamline operations and improve decision-making. While some layoffs were due to performance issues, others were part of a broader restructuring plan to consolidate teams and shut down certain offices.
