If you think that a semi-official denial to just one speculation will help dispel it, then more power to you
Personally I don't think it is unreasonable for the typical Battletech player to want to know why the lead developer for that game line suddenly steps down from that position (and remains with Catalyst Game Labs).
Normally I don't rise up to this form of bait, but as a privately held company, IMR, and by extension CGL, do not have to disclose any information about how they do business. If they wanted us, the fans and consumers. to know, they would have told us. Their business is their business, not ours. Speculation doesn't do anyone any good. It just creates ill will