Google has made headlines by laying off its director of news, Madhav Chinnappa. The Indian-born executive took to LinkedIn to share the news of his departure.

Chinnappa has been with Google for nearly 13 years and has an impressive work history, having previously worked with firms such as BBC News, UBM and APTN.

In his LinkedIn post, Chinnappa expressed his current situation, saying, “I am currently on gardening leave, which gives me ample time to reflect on work, career, and life. Looking back, I take pride in my accomplishments during my nearly 13-year tenure at Google.”

Currently based in London, Chinnappa plans to take some time off to assess his next steps.

He mentioned, “I am fortunate to have the opportunity to take a break and figure things out.

“In the short term, I need to prioritize some family matters that require my full attention. Following the Zen proverb that the tea cup must be empty before it can be filled, I will be on leave in August, then spend September looking after my mom in India. Only in October, I will start considering my next ventures, with plans to explore new opportunities in 2024.”

Google’s decision to reduce its workforce adds them to the list of tech companies responding to the global economic slowdown. Despite the layoff, Chinnappa remains proud of his contributions during his extensive time at Google.