Apple's retail chief, Angela Ahrendts is
set to leave Apple in April after spending five years at the company, Apple announced today.
Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's current "Vice President of People," is set to take Ahrendts' place. O'Brien will be taking on new responsibilities for Apple's retail and online stores in her expanded role as Senior Vice President of Retail and People, reporting directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook.
That's not quite the same role that Ahrendts currently holds as Apple's Senior Vice President of Retail. O'Brien will focus on the connection between the customer and the people, and the processes that serve them.
In her new role as retail leader, she will also lead the People team and will oversee all People-related functions, including talent development and Apple University, recruiting, employee relations and experience, business partnership, benefits, compensation, and inclusion and diversity. In a statement, O'Brien said that she is looking forward to working with Apple's retail teams moving forward. According to Apple, Ahrendts is leaving the company for "new personal and professional pursuits." She first joined Apple in 2014 and has headed up Apple's retail initiatives since then, overseeing the launch of redesigned Apple Stores and customer experiences that have been rolling out across the world over the course of the last few years.
Ahrendts was formerly the Chief Executive Officer of well-known fashion company Burberry, and prior to that role, she held positions at Liz Claiborne and Donna Karan. Cook said that Ahrendts has been "inspiring and energizing" for Apple's retail teams, and that Apple wishes her the "very best."
Ahrendts said that the five years she spent at Apple were the most "stimulating, challenging, and fulfilling" of her career. As O'Brien takes over for Ahrendts, Apple has more than 35 online stores around the world and 506 retail locations across five continents. Apple recently rolled out
an expanded series of "Today at Apple" workshops and classes, another initiative begun under Ahrendts.
Update: Here is Cook's internal memo about the announcement, obtained by
Business Insider's Kif Leswing:
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Angela Ahrendts Departing Apple in April, Deirdre O'Brien to Oversee Retail and People