Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts to depart in April, hands mantle to Deirdre O'Brien
Apple retail head Angela Ahrendts is departing the company after just five years on the job, the company revealed on Tuesday, leaving incoming SVP Deirdre O'Brien with some large shoes to fill.
O'Brien, a 30-year veteran of the corporation, is currently Apple's VP of People. In fact, O'Brien will retain those responsibilities, taking on a new mantle as senior VP of "Retail + People." Along with retail operations, the role covers "People-related functions" like talent development and Apple University, recruiting, employee relations and experience, business partnership, benefits, compensation, and inclusion and diversity.
"At Apple, we believe our soul is our people, and Deirdre understands the qualities and strengths of our team better than anyone," said Apple CEO Tim Cook in a prepared statement. Talking about Ahrendts, the CEO thanked her for being a "positive, transformative force" for both Apple stores and their surrounding communities.
"The last five years have been the most stimulating, challenging and fulfilling of my career," Ahrendts herself stated. "Through the teams' collective efforts, Retail has never been stronger or better positioned to make an even greater contribution for Apple."
Ahrendts was formerly the CEO of Burberry, and is thought to have been hired in 2014 precisely because of her fashion expertise. The company was on the verge of announcing the first-generation Apple Watch, and under Ahrendts' tenure Apple stores have become increasingly focused on selling style as much as substance, as evidenced by touches like glass tables showcasing different Watch bands and cases.
The executive also spearheaded "Today at Apple," a rebranding and expansion of in-store teaching and entertainment events. She only recently promoted the addition of over 50 new sessions, some of them celebrity-branded.
Apple's retail footprint has also expanded to over 506 locations under her tenure. Renovations are underway at a variety of existing shops to update them to the Ahrendts aesthetic, developed with the help of chief design officer Jony Ive.
Ahrendts is leaving to pursue "new personal and professional pursuits," Apple said.
O'Brien, a 30-year veteran of the corporation, is currently Apple's VP of People. In fact, O'Brien will retain those responsibilities, taking on a new mantle as senior VP of "Retail + People." Along with retail operations, the role covers "People-related functions" like talent development and Apple University, recruiting, employee relations and experience, business partnership, benefits, compensation, and inclusion and diversity.
"At Apple, we believe our soul is our people, and Deirdre understands the qualities and strengths of our team better than anyone," said Apple CEO Tim Cook in a prepared statement. Talking about Ahrendts, the CEO thanked her for being a "positive, transformative force" for both Apple stores and their surrounding communities.
"The last five years have been the most stimulating, challenging and fulfilling of my career," Ahrendts herself stated. "Through the teams' collective efforts, Retail has never been stronger or better positioned to make an even greater contribution for Apple."
Ahrendts was formerly the CEO of Burberry, and is thought to have been hired in 2014 precisely because of her fashion expertise. The company was on the verge of announcing the first-generation Apple Watch, and under Ahrendts' tenure Apple stores have become increasingly focused on selling style as much as substance, as evidenced by touches like glass tables showcasing different Watch bands and cases.
The executive also spearheaded "Today at Apple," a rebranding and expansion of in-store teaching and entertainment events. She only recently promoted the addition of over 50 new sessions, some of them celebrity-branded.
Apple's retail footprint has also expanded to over 506 locations under her tenure. Renovations are underway at a variety of existing shops to update them to the Ahrendts aesthetic, developed with the help of chief design officer Jony Ive.
Ahrendts is leaving to pursue "new personal and professional pursuits," Apple said.
Comments
I guess it makes sense that Ms. Ahrendts would leave in April. She has about 105,000 time-based RSUs due to vest on April 1st.
But she's also giving up a lot of unvested RSUs. She has another 200,000 or so unvested time-based RSUs and perhaps 350,000 unvested performance-based RSUs.
The new head of people and retail seems like an AWFUL idea as she is basically head of HR, and now magically a master of retail?
What would be great is if Deidre is temporary and they convince Ron Johnson to come back. He was great at this role. Apple would be lucky to get him back.
Er, no he wasn't.
She's older than he is, so the chances are she'd retire about the same time or sooner.
And what was great about Ron Johnson other than he ran Apple retail when it was a much smaller company?
I'm no expert, but that does not sound like a real job title.
She's going to run HR (a hundred thousand employees and contractors) and run the Retail Chain?
Mmmm.
"personal reasons" often translates to 'fired'.
The head of retail has nothing to do with the price of iPhones or how Macs are designed.
As for DMV, go to a store today. You're a pinball. She added logistical complication and ruined and poisoned the retail experience. Before, you'd go to the genius bar and deal with your issues.
Now you show up, you try to find where to check in, there is no genius bar. You ask one employee, they say, um no, im not the check in person, go over there, thats where the check in person is. You go over there and say I'd like to check in. Oh I'm not the check in person, but they are right there. Then you check in and they send you to table X,Y over there. Some people go to the wrong table. The geniuses come looking for where you should be, but the person is in the wrong spot, and now the genius goes to 2 or 3 tables finding the right person. In the mean time, people who have problems are interspersed throughout the store with their poison "my iDevice doesnt work" griping, poisoning the buying experience around others.
Before, you just went to the bar, you and your problems were isolated and didnt poison others' purchasing experience, and you didnt pinball through the miserable DMV experience. I used to love just stopping by at apple stores when Ron was in charge. I cringe if I have to go there now. So that's how it's the DMV.
https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-stores-suffer-from-customer-complaints-long-wait-time-2018-3/
VERY strange.