The departure follows the former CEO’s comments that 2020 was on course to be the best fiscal year in the company’s history.
Two members of the C-suite at global music software and hardware developer Native Instruments are stepping down. CEO and co-founder Daniel Haver and Chief Innovation Office and President Mate Galic have announced that they are resigning from their roles in October 2020.
Haver and Galic have been at the helm of Native Instruments for over 20 years, with the former co-founding the company in 1997 and the latter joining in 1999. They oversaw the development and proliferation of the company’s immensely popular music production tools, including Traktor, Reaktor, and Kontakt, among many others.
Haver expounded the decision to resign in a LinkedIn post. “Yesterday, Mate Galic and I shared with our team that on October 1, after more than 20 years leading Native Instruments, we will pass on the baton to the next generation of leaders,” he wrote.
“This year has been exceptional for many reasons. Not only for the global pandemic, which has forced our team to adapt to working and collaborating remotely, but also because this year is on course to be the best in our 24-year history from a financial perspective,” Haver continued. “That’s why, in this moment of strength for the company – and as we approach the incredible achievement of 25 years of Native Instruments – we believe it’s time for the next chapter.”
The news of Haver and Galic’s departure arrives amid a tumultuous year for the Berlin-based organization. Back in June, Haver took to LinkedIn to respond to allegations of systemic racism within the company. The accusations spawned a deluge of calls within the music industry at large for Native Instruments to take action. Moreover, the company laid off 20% of its staff in September 2019.
“The accomplishments of Daniel and Mate in taking NI to this point are extraordinary. They grew the company from a small group of passionate technologists in Berlin into one of most relevant brands in music technology, still driven by the same passion and vision that created it,” said newly appointed CEO Constantin Koehncke. “It’s an incredible honor to take on the challenge to transition Native Instruments into the future.”
