Matt Grob (pictured), Qualcomm’s EVP of technology and former CTO, exited this week after 27 years with the company.

Grob announced his departure in a Twitter post, thanking colleagues for “so many lifelong friendships, for fantastic experiences and unique opportunities”. Qualcomm confirmed the move in a statement to Mobile World Live.

The news comes as Qualcomm moves ahead with plans to lay off around 1,500 workers in California as part of a $1 billion cost cutting initiative. The effort is meant to reduce financial pressure on the company as it grapples with ongoing patent royalties battles with two major customers and uncertainty related to escalating tensions between the US and China.

Twitter posts from other Qualcomm employees suggest a round of job cuts was implemented late last week.

Qualcomm did not say whether Grob’s exit was part of the staff reduction, or whether he would be replaced.

Grob started at Qualcomm as an engineer in 1991 and climbed the ranks to become VP of engineering in 1998. He served as head of Qualcomm’s Corporate Research and Development division from 2006 to 2011 before being promoted to EVP and CTO in July 2011. Grob assumed the role of EVP of technology in April 2017.

On Twitter, Grob was vague about his plans for life after Qualcomm, noting only that he plans to “keep inventing”.