Apple names Jeff Williams new chief operating officer, places Phil Schiller in charge of App Store

Posted:
in General Discussion edited December 2015
Apple announced an executive shakeup on Thursday, promoting Jeff Williams to the position of chief operating officer, and placing marketing chief Phil Schiller in charge of the App Store on all platforms.


Jeff Williams, left, is Apple's new COO. Phil Schiller will expand his duties and oversee Apple's App Stores.


As part of the revised team, Johny Srouji has joined Apple's executive lineup as senior vice president for the company's Hardware Technologies division.

Apple also announced that Tor Myhren will join Apple in the first calendar quarter of 2016 as vice president of Marketing Communications, reporting directly to Chief Executive Tim Cook.

"We are fortunate to have incredible depth and breadth of talent across Apple's executive team," Cook said. "As we come to the end of the year, we're recognizing the contributions already being made by two key executives. Jeff is hands-down the best operations executive I've ever worked with, and Johny's team delivers world-class silicon designs which enable new innovations in our products year after year."

Williams joined Apple in 1998 as head of worldwide procurement and in 2004 he was named vice president of Operations. Since 2010 he has overseen Apple's entire supply chain, service and support, and the social responsibility initiatives which protect more than one million workers worldwide.

Williams also played a key role in Apple's entry into the mobile phone market with the launch of iPhone, and he continues to supervise development of Apple's first wearable product, the Apple Watch.

"Phil is taking on new responsibilities for advancing our ecosystem, led by the App Store, which has grown from a single, groundbreaking iOS store into four powerful platforms and an increasingly important part of our business," Cook said.

With added responsibility for the App Store, Schiller will focus on strategies to extend the ecosystem for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV, Apple said. Schiller now leads nearly all developer-related functions at Apple, in addition to his other marketing responsibilities including Worldwide Product Marketing, international marketing, education and business marketing.

More than 11 million developers around the world create apps for Apple's four software platforms -- iOS, OS X, watchOS and tvOS -- as well as compatible hardware and other accessories, and customers have downloaded more than 100 billion apps across those platforms.


Johny Srouji, left, is Apple's new senior vice president of Hardware Technologies. Tim Cook, right, made the announcement on Thursday.


As for Srouji, he's spent nearly eight years at Apple as vice president of Hardware Technologies, during which Apple said built one of the world's strongest and most innovative teams of silicon and technology engineers. There he oversaw breakthrough custom silicon and hardware technologies including batteries, application processors, storage controllers, sensors silicon, display silicon and other chipsets across Apple's entire product line.

Educated at Technion, Israel's Institute of Technology, Srouji joined Apple in 2008 to lead development of the A4, the first Apple-designed system on a chip.


Tor Myhren will join Apple in early 2016 as VP of Marketing Communications. Photo via The Globe and Mail.


"I'm incredibly happy to welcome Tor Myhren, who will bring his creative talents to our advertising and marcom functions," Cook said.

Myhren joins Apple from Grey Group, where he has served as chief creative officer and president of Grey New York. Under his leadership, Grey was named Adweek's Global Agency of the Year for both 2013 and 2015.

As vice president of Marketing Communications at Apple, Myhren will be responsible for Apple's advertising efforts and will lead an award-winning team that spans a broad range of creative disciplines from video, motion graphics and interactive web design to packaging and retail store displays.

Myhren will succeed Hiroki Asai, who earlier announced plans to retire after 18 years in graphic design and marketing communications roles at Apple.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 49
    Hmm...is this a bit of a demotion for Eddy Cue or just a recognition he had too much on his plate? So now aside from Cook there are 3 c-level executives - the CFO, Jony Ive and Jeff Williams. A well deserved promotion for Williams for sure.
  • Reply 2 of 49
    Jeff Williams was already the de facto COO except that his title was Senior Vice President of Operations. He will be doing the same job as before. His "promotion" is primarily a title change. However, one clear thing: Jeff Williams is the choice to be the new Apple CEO should we lose Tim Cook. This bodes well since it will stabilize Apple's leadership. Phil Schiller is great to head the app store on all platforms. He listens to all complaints and he will make changes for the better. The app store is central to Apple as a service provider and source of recurrent revenue.
    SpamSandwichcornchip
  • Reply 3 of 49
    Hmm...is this a bit of a demotion for Eddy Cue or just a recognition he had too much on his plate?
    Eddy Cue absolutely wasn't demoted. Eddy Cue is Apple's clean up man and general fixer. He covers everything when problems occur. He picks up the slack when Apple loses someone. He does the big time negotiations - such as with movie companies, music companies, etc. Eddy is a core and supremely valued executive at Apple. He is clearly the 4th most valuable executive: TIm, Jonathan, Jeff and Eddy. Eddy, however, also clearly has too much on his plate. Handing off the App Store to Phil is an easy side-move for this service.
    radarthekatmagman1979nolamacguy
  • Reply 4 of 49
    Jeff Williams was already the de facto COO except that his title was Senior Vice President of Operations. He will be doing the same job as before. His "promotion" is primarily a title change. However, one clear thing: Jeff Williams is the choice to be the new Apple CEO should we lose Tim Cook. This bodes well since it will stabilize Apple's leadership. Phil Schiller is great to head the app store on all platforms. He listens to all complaints and he will make changes for the better. The app store is central to Apple as a service provider and source of recurrent revenue.
    For all the D&G around Apple Watch isn't it a bit significant that the guy overseeing the product just got a formal promotion? The Watch was specifically called out in Apple's press release. Also I wonder why Schiller wasn't made Chief Marketing Officer. Most public companies have a CMO.
    edited December 2015 cornchip
  • Reply 5 of 49
    First picture caption gives Williams an even bigger promotion..to CEO.
    cornchip
  • Reply 6 of 49
    Might want to fix the photo caption... "Jeff Williams, left, is Apple's new CEO..."
  • Reply 7 of 49
    Never mind, it's been fixed.    ;) 
    edited December 2015
  • Reply 8 of 49
    Hmm...is this a bit of a demotion for Eddy Cue or just a recognition he had too much on his plate?
    Eddy Cue absolutely wasn't demoted. Eddy Cue is Apple's clean up man and general fixer. He covers everything when problems occur. He picks up the slack when Apple loses someone. He does the big time negotiations - such as with movie companies, music companies, etc. Eddy is a core and supremely valued executive at Apple. He is clearly the 4th most valuable executive: TIm, Jonathan, Jeff and Eddy. Eddy, however, also clearly has too much on his plate. Handing off the App Store to Phil is an easy side-move for this service.
    I think it's good App Store is going under one person and since Schiller already had developer relations this makes sense. Maybe this isn't a demotion for Cue but it certainly is a recognition that things were slipping and perhaps he had too much on his plate. I still think the top dogs at Apple (aside from Cook) are Williams, Ive and Schiller and maybe Cue in 4th place.
  • Reply 9 of 49
    genovellegenovelle Posts: 1,480member
    Jeff Williams was already the de facto COO except that his title was Senior Vice President of Operations. He will be doing the same job as before. His "promotion" is primarily a title change. However, one clear thing: Jeff Williams is the choice to be the new Apple CEO should we lose Tim Cook. This bodes well since it will stabilize Apple's leadership. Phil Schiller is great to head the app store on all platforms. He listens to all complaints and he will make changes for the better. The app store is central to Apple as a service provider and source of recurrent revenue.
    For all the D&G around Apple Watch isn't it a bit significant that the guy overseeing the product just got a formal promotion? The Watch was specifically called out in Apple's press release. Also I wonder why Schiller wasn't made Chief Marketing Officer. Most public companies have a CMO.
    I think the COO title was one that Cook was holding on to as he was not fully ready to let go of his legacy. It was a title already in existence and Williams took it. I think Phil may prefer to be more hands on and have the flexibility of shifting positions to keep interested. 

  • Reply 10 of 49
    Hmm...is this a bit of a demotion for Eddy Cue or just a recognition he had too much on his plate?
    Eddy Cue absolutely wasn't demoted. Eddy Cue is Apple's clean up man and general fixer. He covers everything when problems occur. He picks up the slack when Apple loses someone. He does the big time negotiations - such as with movie companies, music companies, etc. Eddy is a core and supremely valued executive at Apple. He is clearly the 4th most valuable executive: TIm, Jonathan, Jeff and Eddy. Eddy, however, also clearly has too much on his plate. Handing off the App Store to Phil is an easy side-move for this service.
    I think it's good App Store is going under one person and since Schiller already had developer relations this makes sense. Maybe this isn't a demotion for Cue but it certainly is a recognition that things were slipping and perhaps he had too much on his plate. I still think the top dogs at Apple (aside from Cook) are Williams, Ive and Schiller and maybe Cue in 4th place.
    Don't forget Angela & Federighi
    edited December 2015
  • Reply 11 of 49
    kkerstkkerst Posts: 330member
    Yeah I thought Angela was hired for retail. Maybe Schiller is her boss now.
  • Reply 12 of 49
    kkerst said:
    Yeah I thought Angela was hired for retail. Maybe Schiller is her boss now.
    Huh? The retail head was never in charge of App Store.
  • Reply 13 of 49
    Why aren't the SJWs up in arms? No Women No "People of Color"
  • Reply 14 of 49
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    First job of Marketing Communications is to get rid of terms like "marcom." And "customer sat" while you're at it.

    Language involves aesthetics as much as products or images. Which reminds me, maybe get someone besides Lake Bell to do voiceover in iPhone ads. Someone without that smartass vocal fry.
  • Reply 15 of 49
    pmzpmz Posts: 3,433member
    Being in charge of the App Store is like being in charge of iOS. Distribution of quality apps is the key to Apple's success.
  • Reply 16 of 49
    With this new marketing VP hire reporting directly to Cook, Cook now has 18 direct reports (not including admin assistants or other people we don't know about). Doesn't that seem a bit high for a CEO?
  • Reply 17 of 49
    kkerstkkerst Posts: 330member
    kkerst said:
    Yeah I thought Angela was hired for retail. Maybe Schiller is her boss now.
    Huh? The retail head was never in charge of App Store.
    Whoops, I feel stupid. Thanks for the clarification. For some reason, I really thought she had something to do with the App Store. Good luck with that Jeff. 
    edited December 2015
  • Reply 18 of 49
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,329member
    flaneur said:
    First job of Marketing Communications is to get rid of terms like "marcom." And "customer sat" while you're at it.

    Language involves aesthetics as much as products or images. Which reminds me, maybe get someone besides Lake Bell to do voiceover in iPhone ads. Someone without that smartass vocal fry.
    Lake's choice for a voiceover might have connection to one of Lake's films that she wrote, directed, and starred in;

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2294677/?ref_=nv_sr_1


  • Reply 19 of 49
    Hmm...is this a bit of a demotion for Eddy Cue or just a recognition he had too much on his plate?
    Eddy Cue absolutely wasn't demoted. Eddy Cue is Apple's clean up man and general fixer. He covers everything when problems occur. He picks up the slack when Apple loses someone. He does the big time negotiations - such as with movie companies, music companies, etc. Eddy is a core and supremely valued executive at Apple. He is clearly the 4th most valuable executive: TIm, Jonathan, Jeff and Eddy. Eddy, however, also clearly has too much on his plate. Handing off the App Store to Phil is an easy side-move for this service.
    I think it's good App Store is going under one person and since Schiller already had developer relations this makes sense. Maybe this isn't a demotion for Cue but it certainly is a recognition that things were slipping and perhaps he had too much on his plate. I still think the top dogs at Apple (aside from Cook) are Williams, Ive and Schiller and maybe Cue in 4th place.
    Honestly, Cue does not seem to make a lot of good moves and they need to transition him to a lesser role. Music has been a mess. Negotiations with music and movies have been slow and messy. Cue should inch toward retirement.
    shameermuljithewhitefalcon
  • Reply 20 of 49
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    Next up, changes to the BoD.  With Angela Ahrendts among the senior execs, do we still need Andrea Jung, who pretty much destroyed Avon, on the board?  And what exactly does Al Gore do on the board that Lisa Jackson can't cover from inside the company?
    SpamSandwichtallest skil
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