By Ketki Saxena
Investing.com -- Earlier this week, Elon Musk announced plans to lay off about 3,700 Twitter employees - or about 50% of the current workforce, as per an email sent to employees.
Today, the axe has fallen. Twitter began its massive layoffs globally, including at least two key positions in its Canadian offices.
Paul Burns, managing director of the company’s Canadian operations, and Michele Austin, Twitter’s director of public policy for the U.S. and Canada, were amongst those let go. Burns joined the company in 2018, and in recent years has overseen the creation of its first Canadian engineering hub.
Austin also joined in 2018, in a high-profile role that saw her representing the company before government committees and helping shape election policies.
Twitter offices remained closed as the cuts are carried out and all staff were asked to stay home. Employees set to remain in their jobs receiving the notification in their work inboxes, while those who were dismissed were sent messages to their personal emails. Twitter employees who were let go are reporting they have already been locked out of their work access and accounts.
The layoffs come after Elon Musk’s $44 billion takeover of Twitter a week ago. The cuts are designed measures “to ensure the company’s success moving forward”, as per the email cited by employees.