Red Hat back-office team to be Big and Blue whether they like it or not

IBM-owned subsidiary Red Hat is docking a bunch of its back-office staff, along with the techies that support them, into the mothership.

The migration – which some onlookers may be surprised didn't happen sooner – is due to take effect from the start of 2026. Company insiders were told about the move on September 3.

According to a communication sent to employees, those in General & Administrative areas will join IBM, including the lion's share of the people working in the HR, finance, accounting, and legal units at Red Hat.

A source told us the switch will be "implemented this year," although in some countries "it might take longer due to legal constraints." The leadership running those teams will remain within the Red Hat fold.

Some are nervous about the move, with tech companies – notably IBM – eliminating duplicated roles to consolidate back-office functions. In January – as has happened in recent ...