Spotify’s CFO to leave in another executive departure as major job cuts hit upper management

Spotify Technology said chief financial officer Paul Vogel is departing, marking another top-level departure at the music streaming leader in the wake of sweeping cuts announced this week.

The company is seeking a successor, according to a statement Thursday. In the meantime, Ben Kung, the company’s vice-president of financial planning and analysis, will take on added responsibilities. Vogel’s last day will be March 31.

“Spotify is entering a new phase and needs a CFO with a different mix of experiences,” CEO Daniel Ek said in the statement.

Vogel joins head of marketing Taj Alavi, who is also leaving the company. The departures illustrate that the deep cuts Spotify announced this week extend to the highest ranks of management.

Alavi, who came to the audio streaming giant following stints at Uber Technologies and Chime Financial, will continue in her current role until February.

Word of Alavi’s departure took some Spotify staffers by surprise. Just last week, members of the company had gathered with advertisers and podcast publishing partners for a festive “Spotify Supper”, inside the Milling Room, a sumptuous restaurant on New York City’s Upper West Side.

There was plenty to celebrate. The company had just finished rolling out its annual Wrapped feature, which allows consumers to share data about their usage. It is one of the company’s most successful marketing campaigns. For days, everywhere you looked on social media, Spotify users were posting their year-end listening round-ups, generating tons of free publicity for the service.

The good mood didn’t last long. Days later, the company announced widespread lay-offs totalling 1,500.