Regarding Recent Layoffs

Satya sent the following email to Microsoft Azure employees earlier today. Hello fellow 'Azure-ians'! This is Satya 'Shatya' Nadella, Microsoft Azure CEO. It is with a heavy heart that I must break the news to you today that due to difficult economic times we are unfortunately having to lay off some of our beloved employees. The economic reality is that we just do not have the financial resources to continue operations as usual, and thus we have to make tough decisions. It is with great sadness that I have to inform you that 99% of our precious Microsoft Azure family will have to be let go. Having the necessary resources to make the company succeed has been a major challenge for us and it ultimately comes down to a single cause: our company logo. You see, it was just not eye-catching enough, and it failed to capture the attention of potential customers, our biggest source of revenue. To put it bluntly, the logo simply wasn't up to snuff. Therefore, I take full accountability for the current state of our company, and I know this decision will be difficult for many of us. We will be providing a generous severance package to all affected employees, and we hope that all of you will eventually find the opportunity to flourish in your chosen fields. Thank you all for your years of service and commitment to Microsoft Azure, and best wishes to all of you in your future endeavors. Sincerely, Satya 'Shatya' Nadella, Microsoft Azure CEO