Sonos undergoes structural realignment after internal personnel reshuffle

Sonos is facing a strategic realignment following CEO Patrick Spence's resignation, leading to extensive internal restructuring. Long-standing Chief Product Officer Maxime Bouvat-Merlin is leaving the company and will transfer his responsibilities as a consultant to the new interim CEO Tom Conrad. This step follows an unsuccessful app update that not only had significant impacts on revenue but also shook customer trust. Conrad, who previously worked as an experienced product strategist, will assume the role of Chief Product Officer himself. It is a considered decision by the board to eliminate Bouvat-Merlin's position from the organizational structure and have the product team report directly to the CEO in the future. In his first communication to the staff, Conrad stated that his industry-specific expertise would optimally cover the responsibilities of the former Product Chief. Since 2016, Bouvat-Merlin has held various leadership roles at Sonos, significantly influencing the company's hardware development before rising to Chief Product Officer in 2023. Despite his departure, he will continue to support Conrad in an advisory capacity for an indefinite period to ensure a smooth transition. A statement from Sonos regarding these developments is still pending.