Instagram chief Adam Mosseri will reportedly relocate to the US – after less than eight months living abroad – after Meta slashed staff at the photo app’s London office in its latest round of layoffs.
Mosseri, 40, will move to New York from London, the Financial Times reported, citing sources with knowledge of the situation. Meta is asking some of the approximately 100 employees at Instagram’s London office to move to the US, while the rest will be laid off.
Mosseri’s move to London last year had reportedly caused some anger among Meta employees – with workers grumbling that the Instagram chief and several other top executives were working far away from the company’s California headquarters even as CEO Mark Zuckerberg urged rank-and-file employees to spend more time in the office.
Meta had pushed back on a New York Times report on employee concerns about “absentee leaders,” stating that executives who lived abroad have been joining Meta’s weekly meetings remotely and making frequent trips to its main offices.
Mosseri had relocated to the UK as part of the company’s reported plans to build out its operations in Europe and stave off mounting competition from Instagram rival TikTok. Going forward, New York will serve as Instagram’s primary hub.
The Post has reached out to Meta for comment.
Mark Zuckerberg’s latest shakeup was part of a broader restructuring at Meta, which carried out a second wave of layoffs this week as part of a plan to slash 10,000 more jobs. Instagram’s office in London had housed its product and engineering teams.
Mosseri’s abrupt return to the States indicates that Zuckerberg wants to bring Instagram “back under centralized control,” according to the FT. Mosseri has served as Instagram’s top boss since 2018.
Last August, the FT reported that Mosseri had petitioned to temporarily relocate away from Meta’s headquarters partly due to his “desire to live in London.”
This week, Meta handed out pink slips to approximately 4,000 workers, including engineers and other tech-focused workers. The company plans to fire approximately 10,000 employees and close hiring on 5,000 open roles after an initial round of layoffs last fall claimed 11,000.
Meta is expected to announce its next wave of cuts next month.
Zuckerberg has proclaimed 2023 as a “year of efficiency” at Meta as the company looks to cut down on costs in a difficult economic climate. Meta is in the process of “flattening” middle management and refocusing its business on key initiatives.
But Meta’s remaining employees have grown frustrated with Zuckerberg’s drawn-out cost-cutting drive.
“You’ve shattered the morale and confidence in leadership of many high performers who work with intensity. Why should we stay at Meta?” one employee said in a question submitted ahead of a town hall event this week, according to Reuters.
Investors will be watching closely for more updates when Meta reports its first-quarter earnings next week. The company’s stock has surged by more than 70% since the start of the year.