Apple sales executive exits Apple for Department of Defense position

AppleInsider

Apple executive Doug Beck is among the latest to depart the company, this time for a full-time Department of Defense position.

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In recent months, Apple has seen multiple high-profile executives leave the company. Those include the Vice President of Cloud Engineering Michael Abbott, Chief Privacy Officer Jane Horvath, and Industrial Design Chief Evans Hankey.

A report from Bloomberg says that the latest executive departure is Doug Beck, a sales executive. He was among the fewer than 20 executives that reported directly to Tim Cook and has been with Apple since 2009.

He was one of two sales executives. Beck focused on sales to governments, health institutions, and schools, according to the report.

"We support Doug's public service and wish him all the best," Apple said in a statement.

Beck will lead the Defense Innovation Unit at the DoD, which promotes the use of commercial technology within the military. As a government sales connection at Apple and a former US Navy Reserve member, the move seems fitting for him.

Apple hasn't announced who will take over the newly vacated position yet. This executive role isn't among those listed on the Apple Leadership website.

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gremlin

I guess if you're leaving the richest most profitable company in the world, you wanna go where the money is!

beowulfschmidt

Cynical me assumes all kinds of ulterior motives for Apple placing one of their own in an influential position in DoD.

Why yes, my hat is made of tin-foil.  Why do you ask?

lkrupp

gremlin said:

I guess if you're leaving the richest most profitable company in the world, you wanna go where the money is!

He's been with Apple since 2009, fourteen years. Perhaps he wants to do something else. Why read something negative and sinister into executives wanting to use their talents in other ways. Steve Jobs once asked John Sculley if he wanted to sell sugared water for the rest of his life or come with him and change the world. I know the cynics are always at the ready with the 'rats leaving a sinking ship' meme but come on.