Firefox Parent Mozilla To Cuts Jobs After Onboarding New CEO

Mozilla has mentioned that approximately five per cent of its workforce will be impacted by the restructuring.

Mozilla is strategically reducing its investment in various products, such as its VPN, Relay, and Online Footprint Scrubber. ( Image Source :Getty )

Mozilla, the organisation renowned for the Firefox browser, is undergoing significant product strategy transformations following the appointment of a new interim CEO earlier this month, the media has reported. Under the leadership of a new CEO, Mozilla Corp. is undergoing a restructuring that includes the elimination of approximately 60 positions, says a report by news agency Bloomberg.

Mozilla has mentioned that approximately five per cent of its workforce will be impacted by the restructuring, with the majority of cuts occurring within the product development division. Employees were notified of the decision on Tuesday.

“We’re scaling back investment in some product areas in order to focus on areas that we feel have the greatest chance of success,” Mozilla said in a statement, the Bloomberg report noted.

“We intend to re-prioritise resources against products like Firefox Mobile, where there’s a significant opportunity to grow and establish a better model for the industry."

Just a week after Laura Chambers was appointed as CEO, following her tenure as an executive at Airbnb Inc. and eBay Inc., Mozilla witnessed these changes. Chambers, who has been on Mozilla's board for three years, took over from Mitchell Baker, the longstanding chief, who transitioned to the role of executive chairman.

Mozilla is strategically reducing its investment in various products, such as its VPN, Relay, and Online Footprint Scrubber. Additionally, it will discontinue Hubs, the 3D virtual world introduced in 2018, and reduce its involvement in the mozilla.social Mastodon instance, says a report by TechCrunch.

In recent years, Mozilla embarked on an expansion of its product lineup, even as its primary offering, Firefox, experienced a decline in market share.

Despite facing criticism for this strategy, Mozilla's leadership maintained that diversifying beyond Firefox was crucial for the organisation's long-term viability. While Firefox had traditionally been the main source of income for Mozilla, it also meant reliance on Google for sustaining this partnership. With the recent developments, it appears Mozilla may shift its focus back to Firefox, a move likely to please many dedicated Firefox enthusiasts.