Tim Cook Faced an 'Insurrection' Following Announcement of Bob Mansfield's Retirement

MacRumors · Oct 3, 2012, 10:23 AM

Earlier this year, Apple announced that hardware chief Bob Mansfield would be retiring, staying on for several months as iPad hardware engineering chief Dan Riccio transitioned into the broader role overseeing the company's entire hardware effort. But just two months later, Apple announced that Mansfield would be staying on, retaining his senior vice president title but without a specific role other than to "work on future products".

A new report from Bloomberg Businessweek profiling Apple one year after the death of Steve Jobs reveals the backstory behind Mansfield's reversal, noting that Apple CEO Tim Cook found himself facing an "insurrection" from Apple employees following Mansfield's retirement announcement.

Quote:

According to three people familiar with the sequence of events, several senior engineers on Mansfield's team vociferously complained to Cook about reporting to his replacement, Dan Riccio, who they felt was unprepared for the magnitude of the role. In response, Cook approached Mansfield and offered him an exorbitant package of cash and stock worth around $2 million a month to stay on at Apple as an adviser and help manage the hardware engineering team.

Officially, Apple's hardware engineering group is now under the oversight of Riccio, so it is unclear exactly how Mansfield and Riccio are working together on their projects. Both executives report directly to Cook, and it is unknown how long Mansfield intends to remain with Apple.

Article Link: Tim Cook Faced an 'Insurrection' Following Announcement of Bob Mansfield's Retirement

kjs862 · Oct 3, 2012, 10:26 AM

Things with Apple haven't sit right with me lately.

MH01 · Oct 3, 2012, 10:26 AM

2 million a month.....WOW!

TrentS · Oct 3, 2012, 10:27 AM

2 Million a month!!?? That's a lot of dough to stay on! Dang!!!

Mansfield: "If they would have just offerred me 2 weeks more vacation, I would have took it!" ha ha

Hakone · Oct 3, 2012, 10:27 AM

"We won't answer to anyone but Shrek"

Tiger8 · Oct 3, 2012, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjs862

Things with Apple haven't sit right with me lately.

Why? All smart companies do that for their most valuable employees; they can't stop anyone from quitting or retiring, but what they can do is keep them as advisors or consultants onboard.

IJ Reilly · Oct 3, 2012, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MH01

2 million a month.....WOW!

As an advisor, no less. I wonder how Apple employees feel about it now.

chrmjenkins · Oct 3, 2012, 10:28 AM

I'm actually surprised it was a monetary decision. I figured it was a vacation/retirement/new opportunities one and no amount would sway him.

Sora · Oct 3, 2012, 10:29 AM

Can't say this is the "beginning of the end", but it surely isn't business as usual. Things are definitely changing - who knows if it's for the better or worse.

JDee · Oct 3, 2012, 10:29 AM

That is a lot of money.

iBreatheApple · Oct 3, 2012, 10:29 AM

Sucks that people's personal lives and decisions get exploited like this. It's nobody's business.

Tiger8 · Oct 3, 2012, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hakone

"We won't answer to anyone but Shrek"

I hope I become 'Shrek' one day and be worth 2 million dollars a month, when I'm about to retire...

EvilEvil · Oct 3, 2012, 10:30 AM

Anyone else think Bob looks like Chris Farley?

Jsameds · Oct 3, 2012, 10:30 AM

They offered him $1 million but he doubled down

Ultimedia · Oct 3, 2012, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjs862

Things with Apple haven't sit right with me lately.

It's a company not a charity, this is how contracts work and it makes total sense to me.

Nevzorus · Oct 3, 2012, 10:30 AM

I want to work with Apple too

BornAgainApple · Oct 3, 2012, 10:30 AM

Good for you Bob

Matt-M · Oct 3, 2012, 10:31 AM

http://verynicewebsite.net/2012/08/t...ld-job-titles/

hbkslick1016 · Oct 3, 2012, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iBreatheApple

Sucks that people's personal lives and decisions get exploited like this. It's nobody's business.

When you work for a publicly traded company it is

MonkeySee.... · Oct 3, 2012, 10:32 AM

I like this. If you have spare cash, keep your prized assets

TrentS · Oct 3, 2012, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iBreatheApple

Sucks that people's personal lives and decisions get exploited like this. It's nobody's business.

Dude, Apple is a "publicly traded company". What do you mean it is nobody's business?!

commander.data · Oct 3, 2012, 10:34 AM

The joys of company politics.

Saladinos · Oct 3, 2012, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Obscurelight

In before Steve will never allow this. Although he probably wouldn't have lol

Actually, I think it's exactly what Steve would have done. Steve spoke a lot about hiring and how keeping the best people working for you is important.

mike-sr29 · Oct 3, 2012, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BornAgainApple

Good for you Bob

Exactly my sentiments. Bob rocks and he is being recognized for his critical role to the company.

Steve most definitely would have allowed this.

daneoni · Oct 3, 2012, 10:37 AM

$24m for an Exec in a $600+Bn company is nothing. Especially if you're keeping hold of an apparently really smart guy as a result.

Oct 3, 2012, 10:26 AM	#2
kjs862 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jan 2004	Things with Apple haven't sit right with me lately.
	50

Oct 3, 2012, 10:26 AM	#3
MH01 macrumors 68000 Join Date: Feb 2008	2 million a month.....WOW!
	21

Oct 3, 2012, 10:27 AM	#4
TrentS macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Overland Park, Kansas	2 Million A Month!? 2 Million a month!!?? That's a lot of dough to stay on! Dang!!! Mansfield: "If they would have just offerred me 2 weeks more vacation, I would have took it!" ha ha
	13

Oct 3, 2012, 10:28 AM	#8
chrmjenkins macrumors 601 Join Date: Oct 2007	I'm actually surprised it was a monetary decision. I figured it was a vacation/retirement/new opportunities one and no amount would sway him. __________________ Twitter: @anexanhume
	3

Oct 3, 2012, 10:29 AM	#9
Sora macrumors 6502 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Arlington, VA	Can't say this is the "beginning of the end", but it surely isn't business as usual. Things are definitely changing - who knows if it's for the better or worse. __________________ MacBook Pro \| Matte 17" \| 3.06 C2D \| 256GB SSD \| 4GB RAM \| Mountain Lion Mac mini \| 2.26GHz C2D \| 160GB HDD \| 4GB RAM
	3

Oct 3, 2012, 10:27 AM	#5
Hakone macrumors 6502 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Southern California	"We won't answer to anyone but Shrek"
	12

Oct 3, 2012, 10:29 AM	#10
JDee macrumors 6502 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ireland	That is a lot of money. __________________ MacBook Pro, iPhone 5 & iPad 2
	1

Oct 3, 2012, 10:29 AM	#11
iBreatheApple macrumors 65816 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Florida	Sucks that people's personal lives and decisions get exploited like this. It's nobody's business. __________________ Steven Jobs was nothing less than brilliant. His vision to change the world was genuinely inspiring.
	4

Oct 3, 2012, 10:30 AM	#13
EvilEvil macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New York City	Anyone else think Bob looks like Chris Farley?
	11

Oct 3, 2012, 10:30 AM	#14
Jsameds macrumors regular Join Date: Apr 2008	They offered him $1 million but he doubled down
	19

Oct 3, 2012, 10:30 AM	#16
Nevzorus macrumors 6502 Join Date: Feb 2012	I want to work with Apple too __________________ Black iPhone 4 - 16 GB White iPad 3 - 16 GB
	4

Oct 3, 2012, 10:30 AM	#17
BornAgainApple macrumors regular Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Massachusetts	Good for you Bob __________________ Mid-2009 13" MBP OS X 10.8 (128GB SSD,500GB HDD, 8GB RAM) iPhone 5 32GB Retina iPad 32GB
	7

Oct 3, 2012, 10:31 AM	#18
Matt-M macrumors regular Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Nashua, NH	http://verynicewebsite.net/2012/08/t...ld-job-titles/
	1

Oct 3, 2012, 10:32 AM	#20
MonkeySee.... macrumors 68040 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: UK	I like this. If you have spare cash, keep your prized assets __________________ iMac - iPhone - iPad - Apple TV - AirPort Extreme Phil Dunphy: Always keep the rhythm in your feet and a little party in your shoulders.
	3

Oct 3, 2012, 10:34 AM	#22
commander.data macrumors 6502a Join Date: Nov 2006	The joys of company politics.
	0

Oct 3, 2012, 10:37 AM	#25
daneoni macrumors G3 Join Date: Mar 2006	$24m for an Exec in a $600+Bn company is nothing. Especially if you're keeping hold of an apparently really smart guy as a result. __________________ 15" MBP Core i7 \| 27" ACD \| AEBS \| 5G iPod \| iPhone 5 \| 3G Apple TV \| iPad mini
	6

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