Archive · 16 Sep 2026
Oracle CFO Rejects ‘Doing More With Less’ Amid Global Layoffs
Oracle is cutting many jobs while spending much more money on data centers and artificial intelligence.
Its finance chief, Hilary Maxson, said the goal is not simply to make fewer workers do more work.
She said Oracle wants to remove processes that do not help customers and choose carefully where to spend money.
Oracle’s workforce shrank by more than 21,000 people during fiscal 2026.
The company began another round of cuts on September 14.
The exact number affected has not been officially announced, although some reports estimate 5,000 to 6,000 people.
Employees in India have shared stories about suddenly losing access to their work systems and seeking new jobs.
Oracle executives discussed growth and AI opportunities at a company meeting but did not directly address the layoffs.
CFO Hilary Maxson said Oracle’s layoffs are about simplifying processes and directing resources toward customer-impacting work, not “doing more with less.”
Oracle’s workforce fell by more than 21,000 employees, or 13%, during fiscal 2026, which ended May 31.
A new round of layoffs began on September 14, but Oracle has not officially disclosed the number or geographic distribution of affected employees.
Reports have variously estimated the latest cuts at 5,000 to 6,000 workers globally, with Indian engineers and senior employees reportedly affected.
Oracle spent $28.5 billion on first-quarter capital expenditures, compared with $8.5 billion a year earlier, while maintaining fiscal 2027 guidance of $90 billion to $95 billion.
- Who
- Oracle, CFO Hilary Maxson, Co-CEO Mike Sicilia, and employees affected by the company’s workforce reductions.
- What
- Oracle is conducting another round of layoffs while substantially increasing spending on data centers and artificial-intelligence infrastructure.
- When
- The latest layoffs reportedly began on September 14; Oracle’s fiscal 2026 ended May 31.
- Where
- The cuts are global, with employees in India reportedly affected; no official geographic breakdown has been released.
- Why
- Oracle says it is simplifying processes and directing resources toward areas with the greatest customer impact, while reports say the cuts are also intended to reduce payroll costs amid heavy infrastructure spending.
Oracle’s stated rationale
Reported cost-cutting rationale
Purpose of the layoffs
Oracle’s stated rationale
Hilary Maxson said the changes are about simplifying processes that do not help customers and making clear choices about resource allocation, not “doing more with less.”
Reported cost-cutting rationale
A person familiar with Oracle’s strategy said the cuts are intended to reduce payroll expenses and offset the cost of the company’s infrastructure investments.
Management’s public message
Oracle’s stated rationale
Executives emphasized strong financial results, growth, customer demand, and opportunities created by artificial intelligence.
Reported cost-cutting rationale
According to reporting reviewed by Business Insider, executives did not directly address the ongoing layoffs during the roughly hour-long company town hall.
Scale and impact of the latest cuts
Oracle’s stated rationale
Oracle has not officially disclosed the number of employees affected or provided a geographic breakdown.
Reported cost-cutting rationale
Some reports estimate that 5,000 to 6,000 employees may be affected globally, while employees and families in India have described sudden job losses; these personal accounts were not independently verified.
- CFO
- Hilary Maxson
- Fiscal 2026 workforce reduction
- More than 21,000 employees, or 13% of the workforce
- Latest layoff round
- Began September 14; the official number affected remains undisclosed
- Reported latest-cut estimate
- Some reports estimate 5,000 to 6,000 employees globally
- First-quarter capital expenditures
- $28.5 billion, up from $8.5 billion a year earlier
- Fiscal 2027 capital-expenditure guidance
- $90 billion to $95 billion
- Investment focus
- Data centers and artificial-intelligence infrastructure
