Comment by pests

Acquihire's are very common. You can negotiate who is coming with you (or force getting the entire team and not just the A players), agreed to pay raises during the transfer, stock or other important roles, etc. Less unsettling for the employees too, having to go through the interview pipeline like a walk-in would.

Sometimes its the entire goal. Leave a company to fill a need it can't solve itself with the plan to get bought back in later.

Times have changed tho so who knows.