In my experience, another major factor is Sergey Dmitriev’s (the sole owner of the company) management style. He keeps a tight grip on major decisions, with a fairly “my way or the highway” approach. That favors managers who are comfortable with the arrangement and can drive away people who want more autonomy or a say in the company’s direction.

For years, when JetBrains faced relatively little competition, that structure worked well enough. As the market changed, though, it became harder for the company to adapt.