It is with considerable regret that I inform you of my planned departure from the Wikimedia Foundation at the end of July. I’ve really enjoyed my time here, and I’m proud of what Wikimedia Engineering has accomplished together.

While I tremendously enjoyed helping to build the engineering organization, at this point in the development of the organization and the role, Sue, Erik and I have agreed that there’s no longer a fit between the identified near term needs and goals of the organization, and my own interests.  I’ve therefore decided to leave WMF as CTO, but I remain a friend of the organization and the mission, and Sue, Erik and I talked about some ways to work together in coming months. 

To allow for an orderly transition, I will stay on as Wikimedia’s CTO through July. I'll be representing the Foundation and recruiting talent at several tech conferences, as well as engaging in transition activites within the Foundation. Erik will assume the title of Interim VP of Engineering and Product Development, and we’ll immediately start the transition of personnel and reporting lines.

Erik will send a note about the transition shortly.

Danese