SUSE Cuts About 10% of Workforce
The German Linux company plans to eliminate around 190 jobs as it restructures around automation and AI.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Job Search
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SUSE, the German Linux company founded in 1992, is cutting about 10% of its more than 1,900 employees, roughly 190 people. Chief executive Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen told staff of the cuts in a memo on Monday, 2 November 2026, and the company has not said which roles will be affected.
Why it matters
Van Leeuwen wrote that automation and AI are fundamentally shifting how software companies operate, and that the company's current structure and cost base will not carry it forward. The move comes after owner EQT reportedly considered selling SUSE in March.
SUSE is cutting about 190 jobs, roughly 10% of its more than 1,900 staff, per the company's internal memo. The exact breakdown by role and region has not been disclosed, leaving the scope of the cuts partly unclear.
The players
SUSE
A German Linux company founded in 1992 and headquartered in Nuremberg, SUSE has been owned by private equity firm EQT since 2023 after a series of ownership changes.
Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen
SUSE's chief executive, who joined the company in 2023 and announced the restructuring in a memo to staff.
EQT
A Swedish private equity firm that bought SUSE from Micro Focus in 2018 for $2.5bn, listed it in Frankfurt in 2021, and took it private again in 2023.
The details
Affected employees will be informed by 4 November, with employee representatives nominated the day after and one-to-one meetings beginning the following week. SUSE also announced agentic AI capabilities for its Linux management tools on 27 October, the same month it began the restructuring.
Timeline
March: EQT reportedly considered selling SUSE.
September: SUSE asked long-serving staff about voluntary separation.
27 October: SUSE announced agentic AI capabilities for its Linux management tools.
2 November: Van Leeuwen told staff about the job cuts.
4 November: Affected staff will be informed of the cuts.
Market Landscape
SUSE's restructuring follows a pattern of private equity ownership cycles in enterprise software, in which EQT bought the company in 2018, listed it in 2021 and took it private again in 2023. The cuts reflect a broader push among software firms to reshape cost bases around automation and AI.
Roughly 190 SUSE employees face job loss, with notification due by 4 November. Workers in similar software firms may see comparable restructuring as companies shift cost structures toward automation.
The takeaway
Companies reshaping around automation and AI are often cutting headcount while redirecting spending toward new products. Workers in software should track how their employers are allocating investment between staff and technology.
What happens next
Affected SUSE staff will be informed by 4 November, and the fiscal year 2027 strategy will be presented to the company on 16 November.
Further reading
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