The Trade Desk to cut 15% of workforce amid restructuring

The Trade Desk is eliminating roughly 575 jobs, about 15% of its global workforce, in what amounts to the largest layoff in the company’s history. CEO Jeff Green broke the news to employees on September 3, 2026, describing the move as a structural overhaul rather than a financial emergency.

The Trade Desk’s previous round of layoffs, back in December 2025, trimmed just 39 roles. That’s less than 1% of staff.

What’s actually changing

Green’s explanation centers on reorganizing teams into smaller units he’s calling “pods” and “scrums.” The idea is to break up larger, slower-moving groups into compact teams with more direct ownership over their work.

The cuts take effect September 4, 2026, with affected employees receiving transition support packages. Green shared the announcement both internally and on LinkedIn.

Green pointed to the company’s balance sheet, roughly $1.5 billion in cash with zero debt, as evidence that this isn’t about survival.

The revenue growth problem

The Trade Desk posted its slowest revenue growth in Q2 2026 since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company went from $202 million in annual revenue in 2016 to over $2.9 billion in its most recent full year.

Programmatic advertising, where The Trade Desk operates as one of the dominant demand-side platforms, has been a growth engine for digital marketing budgets for years. The company helps advertisers buy digital ad inventory across channels like connected TV, audio, and display in automated, data-driven ways.

The December 2025 layoffs came alongside leadership changes. Now, nine months later, the response has escalated dramatically.