US software company SAS Institute has withdrawn from mainland China and dismissed its local staff, according to a Beijing-based employee affected by the move, as the analytics specialist ended more than two decades of operations amid intense domestic competition and geopolitical tensions.
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The company on Thursday announced the lay-offs via an email and hosted a short video call, in which executives thanked local employees for their contribution and cited “organisational optimisation” for the exit, according to the employee.
“SAS is ceasing direct business operations in China,” an SAS spokeswoman said on Friday in response to the Post’s inquiry. “This decision reflects a broader shift in how we operate globally, optimising our footprint and ensuring long-term sustainability.”
The company would continue having a presence on the mainland via third-party partners, according to the spokeswoman.
About 400 jobs on the mainland were eliminated by SAS and each employee was asked to sign a separation agreement by November 14, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The affected staff would receive a compensation package of one month’s pay for each year of service, two additional months of salary, an annual bonus and pay through the end of this year.
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SAS is expected to issue a public statement next week, according to another affected employee.
The company’s simplified Chinese website has gone offline, and its career page no longer listed any job openings on the mainland.