Spotify CFO to Step Down Next Year

Spotify’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Paul Vogel will leave his leadership post at the company in March 2024. The announcement of Vogel’s exit comes days after the decision to lay off 17% of its workforce, or nearly 1,500 jobs, according to a report published by Variety. 

Vogel’s departure is part of a broader reorganization within Spotify, focusing on cost-cutting and downscaling operations. This comes after a period of company-wide expansion. According to a report published by Bloomberg, from 2020 to 2022, Spotify doubled its workforce and expanded beyond music — venturing into the audiobook and podcasting markets.  

“In 2020 and 2021, we took advantage of the opportunity presented by lower-cost capital and invested significantly in team expansion, content enhancement, marketing, and new verticals,” CEO Daniel Ek stated in Spotify’s official announcement to cut staff.  

“These investments generally worked, contributing to Spotify’s increased output and the platform’s robust growth this past year. However, we now find ourselves in a very different environment. And despite our efforts to reduce costs this past year, our cost structure for where we need to be is still too big,” Elk said.  

As companies like Spotify navigate through post-pandemic challenges, there is a greater emphasis on strategic leadership changes. These changes are not just about managing the present but are also geared towards preparing for future challenges and opportunities in the coming year. 

The Stockholm-based music streaming company employs around 9,200 people. Vogel’s exit — along with the recent layoffs — reveals a desire from the tech company to be leaner, while focusing on productivity.