Vivino fired
Executive summary
There is no evidence in the supplied reporting that Vivino conducted a firing spree or mass layoffs; instead the prominent documented personnel change is a CEO transition in mid-2021 when Olivier Grémillon was appointed to succeed co‑founder Heini Zachariassen, who remained on the board as a chief evangelist [1] [2] [3]. Public company profiles and press coverage in the provided sources continue to list Vivino’s executive team and historical leadership moves but do not report terminations or large‑scale dismissals in the materials supplied [4] [5] [6].
1. What the reporting documents: a leadership handover, not a purge
Multiple press releases and trade articles explicitly describe a planned CEO handover at Vivino where Olivier Grémillon replaced Heini Zachariassen effective July 26, 2021, with Zachariassen remaining involved as a board member and “chief evangelist” rather than being fired; this personnel shift is framed as strategic succession following rapid growth and a Series D funding round [1] [2] [3] [7]. Industry writeups and company pages characterize Grémillon as an executive brought in to scale community and e‑commerce growth—citing Vivino’s online sales surge (for example, $265m sold in 2020) and the company’s fundraising—to explain the rationale for new operational leadership, not because of misconduct or mass staff terminations [1] [3] [7]. Company and third‑party profiles continue to list founders and executives in leadership roles across databases like CB Insights, Comparably and Crunchbase, which implies normal executive continuity rather than an abrupt firing event in the supplied materials [4] [5] [6].
2. What the reporting does not show: absence of firing or layoffs in supplied sources
None of the provided snippets or documents reports that Vivino fired its founder, a CEO, or a tranche of employees; instead they document planned role changes and fundraising context [1] [2] [3]. The sources do not supply contemporaneous news of layoffs, legal actions, whistleblower claims, or termination notices tied to Vivino in 2021–2024 within the material presented (p1_s1–[8]3). Because these supplied sources lack any mention of firings, it would be inappropriate to assert that firing occurred; the reporting simply does not support that claim.
3. Alternative explanations, agendas and how narratives form
When readers encounter a shorthand like “Vivino fired,” possible origins include misunderstanding a CEO succession as a firing, conflating separate tech-sector layoffs (e.g., other companies’ cuts in 2026 reported elsewhere) with Vivino, or social amplification of a rumor; none of those causal links are substantiated by the supplied sources (p1_s8 references layoffs at a different firm in 2026 but does not mention Vivino). Corporate messaging around succession often emphasizes continuity and growth to reassure investors and users, an implicit agenda visible in Vivino’s press material which highlights fundraising, revenue growth, and the departing founder’s ongoing advisory role [2] [3]. Conversely, sources that underplay transitions may be preserving brand reputation—readers should note that trade pieces and company press releases can carry promotional intent even while reporting factual leadership changes [1] [2].
4. Verdict and reporting limits
Based on the provided reporting, the claim “Vivino fired” is not supported: the documented fact is a planned CEO succession to Olivier Grémillon with Heini Zachariassen stepping into an advisory/board role after 10+ years leading the company, backed by press releases and trade coverage [1] [2] [3]. The supplied documents do not report terminations or layoffs at Vivino; therefore any assertion that Vivino fired personnel requires additional, verifiable sources beyond those provided here before it can be treated as factual [4] [5] [6].