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Spotify Australia staff swept up in global job cuts

Global streaming audio giant Spotify's Australia and New Zealand based staff have already been swept up in a company-wide cost-cutting drive that will see 1500 roles globally eliminated.

John Buckley
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The axed roles emerged among a swarm of cuts across the company’s global business on Monday night. AP/Richard Drew.

Global streaming audio giant Spotify's Australia and New Zealand based staff have already been swept up in a company-wide cost-cutting drive that will see 1500 roles globally eliminated.

Local staff on the platform's marketing, engineering and curatorial teams, including the team responsible for assembling Spotify’s influential Australian music playlists have already been impacted by the cuts, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation. Several staffers took to LinkedIn on Tuesday afternoon to confirm their departures, however the total number of local roles impacted remains unclear.

Overnight Spotify chief executive Daniel Ek announced a swarm of cuts across the business in a note to staff. He said the company would take “substantial action” on costs and lay off some 17% of its global workforce.

Spotify in October reported a 16% increase of premium subscribers to 226 million, and a total revenue increase of 11% to €3.36 billion. The platform's monthly active users grew 26% to 574 million, more than 2 million ahead of expectations, the company said.