Sabih Khan promoted to Apple's senior vice president of operations

AppleInsider

In a move late on Thursday afternoon, Apple announced that long-time executive Sabih Khan has been promoted to the company's executive team as senior vice president of operations.

Sabih Khan, Apple's new senior vice president of operations

Khan earned bachelor's degrees in Economics and Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University and a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He worked as an applications development engineer and key account technical leader at GE Plastics, prior to joining Apple in 1995.

"Sabih leads our Ops team with heart," said Apple CEO Tim Cook regarding the move. "He and his entire worldwide team are committed to delivering unmatched experiences to our customers, treating workers everywhere with dignity and respect, and protecting the environment for future generations."

Apple notes that Khan is in charge of the team that developed a new alloy that enables the use of 100% recycled aluminum in the MacBook Air and Mac mini. Furthermore, the operations department is the division spearheading supplier partnerships for "green" manufacturing.

According to Apple, Khan is responsible for "ensuring product quality and overseeing planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics and product fulfillment functions." Khan's role is most similar to Tim Cook's role, prior to Cook's ascendance to Apple's CEO.

Khan continues to report to Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer.

"I've been privileged to work with Sabih for more than 20 years, and you won't find a more talented operations executive anywhere on the planet," said Williams. "He is a world-class leader and collaborator, and I have no doubt that he will be the best leader of the Ops team in Apple's history."

soli

This would be a big deal any other day, but Ive leaving Apple is overshadowing this achievement. That's a big job, but his resume looks promising.

spamsandwich

First order of business: Get (most of) Apple’s manufacturing out of China.

mattinoz

Sure seems like Apple is testing the next generation to see who can back fill the chairs as they empty.

Jeff Williams has a nice little alternative management team reporting directly to him now.

jdw

This is the same gentleman who got his fanny kicked when Tim Cook famously quipped, "Why are you still here?" after having mentioned problems in China. Khan was on the next flight to China, apparently without clothes or a suitcase.  I guess he got the promotion for now understanding when to fly to China without being told, even if it means leaving mid-meeting with the CEO.

chasm

This seems like a smart, solid move for an exec who has been there long enough to prove his mettle. I'm glad Cook thinks he's found someone at least as good as he was as Ops head.

matrix077

jdw said:

This is the same gentleman who got his fanny kicked when Tim Cook famously quipped, "Why are you still here?" after having mentioned problems in China. Khan was on the next flight to China, apparently without clothes or a suitcase.  I guess he got the promotion for now understanding when to fly to China without being told, even if it means leaving mid-meeting with the CEO.

I believe no name was provided on that famous story. 

gatorguy

matrix077 said:

jdw said:

This is the same gentleman who got his fanny kicked when Tim Cook famously quipped, "Why are you still here?" after having mentioned problems in China. Khan was on the next flight to China, apparently without clothes or a suitcase.  I guess he got the promotion for now understanding when to fly to China without being told, even if it means leaving mid-meeting with the CEO.

I believe no name was provided on that famous story. 

Quoting: 
"When in a meeting discussing a problem in China, Tim Cook noted that the problem was “really bad” and that someone should be in China fixing it. Thirty minutes later, Cook then famously looked over at Apple’s operations manager, Sabih Khan, and asked “Why are you still here?” Khan was on the next flight to China."

matrix077

gatorguy said:

matrix077 said:

jdw said:

This is the same gentleman who got his fanny kicked when Tim Cook famously quipped, "Why are you still here?" after having mentioned problems in China. Khan was on the next flight to China, apparently without clothes or a suitcase.  I guess he got the promotion for now understanding when to fly to China without being told, even if it means leaving mid-meeting with the CEO.

I believe no name was provided on that famous story. 

Quoting: 
"When in a meeting discussing a problem in China, Tim Cook noted that the problem was “really bad” and that someone should be in China fixing it. Thirty minutes later, Cook then famously looked over at Apple’s operations manager, Sabih Khan, and asked “Why are you still here?” Khan was on the next flight to China."

Thank you. He’s the famous guy then. 

jcs2305

matrix077 said:

jdw said:

This is the same gentleman who got his fanny kicked when Tim Cook famously quipped, "Why are you still here?" after having mentioned problems in China. Khan was on the next flight to China, apparently without clothes or a suitcase.  I guess he got the promotion for now understanding when to fly to China without being told, even if it means leaving mid-meeting with the CEO.

I believe no name was provided on that famous story. 

Not sure of the source, but it may be true..

“This is really bad,” Cook told the group. “Someone should be in China driving this.” Thirty minutes into that meeting Cook looked at Sabih Khan, a key operations executive, and abruptly asked, without a trace of emotion, “Why are you still here?”

Khan, who remains one of Cook’s top lieutenants to this day, immediately stood up, drove to San Francisco International Airport, and, without a change of clothes, booked a flight to China with no return date, according to people familiar with the episode. The story is vintage Cook: demanding and unemotional.

https://blog.sameerpadania.com/2013/04/25/two-sides-of-why-are-you-still-here-jill-abramson-tim-cook/

randominternetperson

SpamSandwich said:

First order of business: Get (most of) Apple’s manufacturing out of China.

Nope.  In a SWOT analysis, China manufacturing is one of Apple's Strengths, even if it also introduces some Threat issues.  I'm sure Apple is looking at ways to minimize the risks associated with their dependency on Chinese manufacturing, but a wholesale departure from China would be even riskier and most costly.

jdw

matrix077 said:

jdw said:

This is the same gentleman who got his fanny kicked when Tim Cook famously quipped, "Why are you still here?" after having mentioned problems in China. Khan was on the next flight to China, apparently without clothes or a suitcase.  I guess he got the promotion for now understanding when to fly to China without being told, even if it means leaving mid-meeting with the CEO.

I believe no name was provided on that famous story. 

Apparently you have not read "Tim Cook: The Genius Who Took Apple to the Next Level" by Leander Kahney.  I assure you the name and story are 100% correct.