Apple chairman Art Levinson signs on as CEO of new Google health venture

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
It was announced on Wednesday that Apple chairman Art Levinson has joined with Google in an initiative to combat aging and age-related health issues.

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Google announced that it will be backing a new health-focused company called Calico, to be lead by former Google board member and current Apple chairman Arthur D. Levinson.

The latest 'moonshot' from the Mountain View company, Calico will focus on age-related health issues. Levinson, a biochemist who became CEO and then chairman of biotechnology giant Genentech, will make a founding investment in the company and act as its CEO.

Levinson will continue his role at Apple, according to the announcement, and Apple chief Tim Cook voiced his excitement about the project.

"For too many of our friends and family, life has been cut short or the quality of their life is too often lacking," Cook said. "Art is one of the crazy ones who thinks it doesn?t have to be this way. There is no one better suited to lead this mission and I am excited to see the results."

Though the relationship between Apple and Google has seemingly turned adversarial in recent years as they lock horns in the consumer tech marketplace, the two competitors have been known to come down on the same side of social issues, most notably in 2008 when both companies openly opposed California's Proposition 8, a ballot initiative that banned same-sex marriage in the state.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 61
    regardless of tim's excitement, i hope levinson leaves the apple board; i sincerely believes this is a conflict of interest with his role there. (i'm an AAPL stockholder).
  • Reply 2 of 61
    Now Google can have access to personal health information of people and sell it to advertisers. Yay!
  • Reply 3 of 61
    Whatever Apple comes up with in the healthcare market, Google would have already started it and it just happens to look like Apple's solution.
  • Reply 4 of 61
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,822member

    I'm giving Levinson the benefit of the doubt here. He seems to be particularly interested in this issue (age related health) and surely won't be sucked in by the likes of Schmidt. This venture seems to require (or will promote) research at a level above practical implementation of software or hardware on mobile devices currently. I'm of an age where I hope that they work miracles lol.

  • Reply 5 of 61
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Pooch View Post



    regardless of tim's excitement, i hope levinson leaves the apple board; i sincerely believes this is a conflict of interest with his role there. (i'm an AAPL stockholder).

     

    I am a stockholder, also, and I don't agree that there is a conflict of interest. Just because Apple board chairman Levinson is an investor and CEO of a company co-founded with an Apple (arch)rival, I can't imagine how Calico will conflict with Apple, a device/software technology company.

  • Reply 6 of 61
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dickprinter View Post

     

     

    I am a stockholder, also, and I don't agree that there is a conflict of interest. Just because Apple board chairman Levinson is an investor and CEO of a company co-founded with an Apple (arch)rival, I can't imagine how Calico will conflict with Apple, a device/software technology company.


     

    He's not just working within Apple as the Chairman of the Board. He's also Chairman of the Board of Genentech. His passion is health and this initiative needs his entire focus.

     

    It's time for the Board to research a replacement. As a shareholder and former Apple employee I would be pushing for it internally.

  • Reply 7 of 61

    I thought Google's pod people were still in beta. Guess they were further along if they managed to replace Art Levinson with one.

  • Reply 8 of 61
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mdriftmeyer View Post

     

     

    He's not just working within Apple as the Chairman of the Board. He's also Chairman of the Board of Genentech. His passion is health and this initiative needs his entire focus.

     

    It's time for the Board to research a replacement. As a shareholder and former Apple employee I would be pushing for it internally.


     

    The Chairman of the Board, also known as a non-executive chairman, does not do anything on a day to day basis. That is the job of the CEO. Their job is to evaluate how the company's C-suite is doing, represent shareholders in major company actions, and set appropriate compensation. It is not their place to dictate the day-to-day running of the company.

  • Reply 9 of 61
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    I don't think Schmidt being on the Apple board had anything to do with Google copying iPhone. They were going to do it anyway regardless of Schmidt.  Levinson as CEO of Calico should not have any conflict of interest implications either. 

     

    You know, both Bill Gates and Larry Page attended SJ's funeral. Why didn't you AI freaks get all bent about that?

     

    Whatever, I supposed it would be fine if he stole some of Google's tech and handed it over to Apple, right?

  • Reply 10 of 61
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    He's not just working within Apple as the Chairman of the Board. He's also Chairman of the Board of Genentech. His passion is health and this initiative needs his entire focus.

    It's time for the Board to research a replacement. As a shareholder and former Apple employee I would be pushing for it internally.

    I would like to officially suggest a Mr Steve Ballmer as a replacement.

    Mr Ballmer has, as an example of his dedication to Apple, decided to clear his entire schedule in a year or so, so that he may focus on such a position.

    Seriously, what could possibly go wrong with such an experienced member of the I.T. industry at the helm?
  • Reply 11 of 61
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GTR View Post





    I would like to officially suggest a Mr Steve Ballmer as a replacement.



    Mr Ballmer has, as an example of his dedication to Apple, decided to clear his entire schedule in a year or so, so that he may focus on such a position.



    Seriously, what could possibly go wrong with such an experienced member of the I.T. industry at the helm?

    <img class=" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />

  • Reply 12 of 61
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post

     

    I don't think Schmidt being on the Apple board had anything to do with Google copying iPhone. They were going to do it anyway regardless of Schmidt.  Levinson as CEO of Calico should not have any conflict of interest implications either. 

     

    You know, both Bill Gates and Larry Page attended SJ's funeral. Why didn't you AI freaks get all bent about that?

     

    Whatever, I supposed it would be fine if he stole some of Google's tech and handed it over to Apple, right?


     

    It's not a question of "will they?" but "when?" (and related: "how quickly?") companies will try to copy Apple.

     

    People go to funerals out of respect for someone they had a personal relationship with. Something both Gates and Page shared with Steve Jobs. No conspiracy.

  • Reply 13 of 61
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by konqerror View Post

     

     

    The Chairman of the Board, also known as a non-executive chairman, does not do anything on a day to day basis. That is the job of the CEO. Their job is to evaluate how the company's C-suite is doing, represent shareholders in major company actions, and set appropriate compensation. It is not their place to dictate the day-to-day running of the company.


     

    Thanks, well aware of what a Chairman's role is to a corporation. They also have voting power on executive leadership and sorry, but the man having his focus as CEO of one corporation and dual chairmanship of others means he either enjoys the money at both for `doing nothing' or knowing how much Art was called upon by Steve his focus being `elsewhere' and rightly where it should be--CEO--should have him voluntarily resigning his position and recommending a replacement.

     

    In case you want to know Apple's governance:

     

    http://investor.apple.com/governance.cfm

     

    Quote:

    Apple's Board of Directors oversees the Chief Executive Officer and other senior management in the competent and ethical operation of Apple on a day-to-day basis and assures that the long-term interests of shareholders are being served. To satisfy the Board's duties, directors are expected to take a proactive, focused approach to their positions, and set standards to ensure that Apple is committed to business success through the maintenance of high standards of responsibility and ethics.

     

    The Board has adopted the following committee charters and governance guidelines that, in conjunction with Apple's articles of incorporation and bylaws, form the governance framework for Apple. The governance structure is designed to foster principled actions, effective decision-making and appropriate monitoring of both compliance and performance.



     

     

    Excerpt from Corporate Governance Guidelines:

     

    http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/AAPL/2691774344x0x443011/6a7d49f1-a3af-4e69-b279-021b81a93cdf/governance_guidelines.pdf

    Quote:

     
    X. Directors Who Change Their Present Job Responsibilities


     


    Each director who retires or substantially changes his or her principal occupation or business association from the position he or she held when initially elected to the Board shall tender his or her resignation to the Board at the time of such change by sending written notice to the General Counsel of the Corporation. The Board does not believe that a non-employee director in this circumstance necessarily should be required to leave the Board. Instead, the Board believes that the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee should review each situation and make a recommendation to the Board as to the continued appropriateness of Board membership under the new circumstances



  • Reply 14 of 61
    drblankdrblank Posts: 3,385member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jungmark View Post



    Whatever Apple comes up with in the healthcare market, Google would have already started it and it just happens to look like Apple's solution.

    What are you talking about?  Apple doesn't make specialized products for the healthcare market. Their computer/tablets might be used in those markets, but they are typically running 3rd party software.   Either way, until they actually spit out something, it's all conjecture as to what they will be focusing on.  It could end up not even being a piece of hardware or software.

  • Reply 15 of 61
    Mr. Ballmer made Microsoft weak and would help to do the same with Apple.
    That is what could go wrong Mr. gtr ...
    On Mr. Levinson, the right thing is for him to resign from the Apple position, and if not, the board should replace him right away. (1) He will have no mindshare but to his new CEO position. (2) No one has been able to serve 2 masters at the same time, specially if they are competitors. (3) Like it or not, he will find himself in conflicting situations and most probably will side with Google.
  • Reply 16 of 61
    Please Google, don't try to 'fix' death; it's part of life.
  • Reply 17 of 61
    Another Erick Schmit situation?.. He has to leave the board.. Right now!
  • Reply 18 of 61
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    pooch wrote: »
    regardless of tim's excitement, i hope levinson leaves the apple board; i sincerely believes this is a conflict of interest with his role there. (i'm an AAPL stockholder).

    I agree, he should promptly and gracefully resign or be resigned. Apple have a lot of health related moves going forward and this smells too much like another potential Eric Schmidt. I don't want to see Tim having to meet Art at a coffee house, after the damage is done, to tell him either.
  • Reply 19 of 61
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    philboogie wrote: »
    Please Google, don't try to 'fix' death; it's part of life.

    Well if they plan t freeze the entire leadership of Google as part of their experiment at Google Labs I'm all in. Maybe Gatorguy too? ;)
  • Reply 20 of 61
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    gtr wrote: »
    I would like to officially suggest a Mr Steve Ballmer as a replacement.

    Mr Ballmer has, as an example of his dedication to Apple, decided to clear his entire schedule in a year or so, so that he may focus on such a position.

    Seriously, what could possibly go wrong with such an experienced member of the I.T. industry at the helm?

    Plus Ballmer would bring to Apple all the knowledge of Microsoft's innovative planes for the future ... Oh wait a minute ...
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