Updated with Amazon confirmation and comment.
Ken Washington, who oversaw the Amazon Astro home robot as the company’s vice president of consumer robotics, is leaving the company after less than two years.
His departure is the latest shakeup for the company’s Devices & Services division, which was among the Amazon groups hit by the company’s broader cutbacks starting earlier this year.
The news was first reported Monday by Insider, citing an internal email.
Amazon confirmed the news. Washington is “leaving Amazon to pursue an external opportunity,” a spokesperson told GeekWire. “We’re thankful for his efforts and contributions during his time here, and wish him all the best.”
Prior to joining Amazon, Washington was CTO for Ford Motor Co. as the automaker expanded into autonomous technology. A nuclear engineer by training, with a doctorate from Texas A&M, his past roles include serving as CIO for Sandia National Laboratories and as the first chief privacy officer for Lockheed Martin.
Washington’s departure is effective May 18, according the Insider report.
Insider also reported on a separate email in which Dave Limp, Amazon’s senior vice president of Devices & Services, “thanked Washington for his work and reiterated his commitment to the home robot business.”
Washington likewise spoke about Amazon’s long-term dedication to home robotics, despite early skepticism about Astro, in interviews last year at Amazon re:MARS and the GeekWire Summit.
