SUSE to cut about 10% of workforce as CEO cites AI and automation
Affected employees will be notified by November 4, according to The Register, which reviewed an internal memo.
German Linux company SUSE is cutting about 10% of its workforce, The Register reported, citing an internal memo from chief executive Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen. The reductions amount to around 190 jobs, with owner EQT putting the company’s workforce at more than 1,900.
Van Leeuwen told employees that AI and automation were reshaping software operations and reducing the need for some roles. He said SUSE’s existing organizational structure and costs were not suited to its future needs, while newer tools allowed faster work with fewer management layers. He attributed the cuts to changing requirements rather than employees’ abilities or commitment.
The memo did not identify the positions being eliminated. According to The Register, SUSE will notify affected staff by November 4, with employee representatives to be nominated the following day. The company’s fiscal year 2027 strategy will be presented to the remaining workforce on November 16.
SUSE had not published a newsroom statement on the cuts. The Register previously reported in September that the company had approached long-serving employees about voluntary separation.
