Angela Ahrendts Climbs to Thirteenth Spot in Fortune's 'Most Powerful Women' List for 2017

[MacRumors]

Apple's senior vice president of retail stores, Angela Ahrendts, has climbed to grab the 13th spot on Fortune's "Most Powerful Women" list for 2017. In 2015 Ahrendts took the 16th spot, and in 2016 she rose to the 14th spot.

The top 5 women on the list this year are Sheryl Sandberg (Facebook COO, #5), Abigail Johnson (Fidelity Investments CEO, #4), Marillyn Hewson (Lockheed Martin President and CEO, #3), Indra Nooyi (PepsiCo CEO, #2), and Mary Barra (General Motors CEO, #1).

Fortune's list includes a brief summary of Ahrendts' latest accomplishments at Apple:

Since being persuaded by Tim Cook to join Apple in 2014 (she previously led British fashion brand Burberry), Ahrendts has been heads down on the tech behemoth’s largest store redesign in 15 years. In May the company launched its long-awaited “Today at Apple” initiative, which seeks to supplement public education through free courses on everything from coding to music production to photography. Apple’s highest-ranking woman, she oversees 60,000 retail employees and is responsible for the in-store experiences of a more than a million daily customers. Research firm eMarketer estimates that the combined revenue from in-store and online sales is nearly $50 billion. Ahrendts was the second executive after Cook—and the only woman—to take the stage at September’s keynote, where she spoke at length about Apple’s “town squares”—the new moniker for its retail stores.

Ahrendts joined Apple from Burberry in the spring of 2014, when she said she'd bring a personal touch to Apple's retail management. Three years later she has spearheaded the launch of Apple's next-generation retail store design and "Today at Apple" classes worldwide.

Last week, Ahrendts also appeared on stage during Apple's iPhone X keynote event, where she went into detail about new and upcoming Apple Town Square locations in Chicago, Paris, and Milan.

For more information on Fortune's ranking, the site has published a few articles today: explaining the list's continued importance, highlighting the newcomers, and pointing out those who have dropped off the list this year.

Article Link: Angela Ahrendts Climbs to Thirteenth Spot in Fortune's 'Most Powerful Women' List for 2017

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Congratulations!!!

 

[M.PaulCezanne]

Genius Groves!!!

 

[meaning-matters]

She got rid of physical Genius Bars, making more waiting space.

 

[brianvictor7]

Good on her! She does fine work!

 

[djcerla]

A great hire for Tim.

 

[840quadra]

Curious to see / experience her influences within the retail space as more of her ideas and strategy become implemented. I like the idea of the store becoming a gathering spot, and less of a retail push.

That said, I have always felt comfortable going in to use some equipment, get a quick charge, or to simply check out new devices.

 

[now i see it]

Working as an executive at Apple has s way of doing that to somebody.

 

[MH01]

Brilliant ! You can all thank her for a £999 iPhone.... bargain compared to high end watch bands

I don't think she was a good hire , she brought a different way of thinking to apple, that they should charge more , and fashion was more important than tech innovation.

 

[jacobh101]

she needs to improve at public speaking...I just don't feel the authenticity that other Apple execs bring during keynotes.

 

[tokajilover]

Brilliant ! You can all thank her for a £999 iPhone.... bargain compared to high end watch bands

I don't think she was a good hire , she brought a different way of thinking to apple, that they should charge more , and fashion was more important than tech innovation.

totally agree.

 

[tkermit]

she brought a different way of thinking to apple, that they should charge more , and fashion was more important than tech innovation.

Or maybe she was brought in because existing management wanted to go more into the direction of luxury and fashion.

 

[tokajilover]

she needs to improve at public speaking...I just don't feel the authenticity that other Apple execs bring during keynotes.

she is so fake - eyes hiding - not a good choice for apple

 

[stevet]

Curious to see / experience her influences within the retail space as more of her ideas and strategy become implemented. I like the idea of the store becoming a gathering spot, and less of a retail push.

That said, I have always felt comfortable going in to use some equipment, get a quick charge, or to simply check out new devices.

Unless of course, you go there to buy something. Then you have a bunch of people just hanging around? Dumb idea. The point of a store is to buy stuff or try stuff. Not hang out.

 

[BenTrovato]

she needs to improve at public speaking...I just don't feel the authenticity that other Apple execs bring during keynotes.

If you look at her style, clothing, accessories, makeup, nails - it's very appearance based, so authenticity doesn't shine through. Then again, she was never brought in to appear authentic to the public but for retail which is all about appearance. I like her better in interviews when she's not trying so hard and just being a normal person.

 

[2268473]

Brilliant ! You can all thank her for a £999 iPhone.... bargain compared to high end watch bands

I don't think she was a good hire , she brought a different way of thinking to apple, that they should charge more , and fashion was more important than tech innovation.

Whilst Apple continues to become more and more valuable...

 

[jimbo1mcm]

Is she powerful enough to get the Iphone X in stores on time?

 

[stevet]

she is so fake - eyes hiding - not a good choice for apple

Didn't she say Prooooduckssss like Tim?

 

[MH01]

Or maybe she was brought in because Apple wanted to go more into the direction of luxury and fashion.

Sure, though that it killed what they were best at , innovation.

They chased the $ and forgot why they became , what they did, by innovating tech and user experience . Luxury and fashion is not about innovation, it's just about brand and higher and higher pricing.

Every company she has joined prices have gone up by staggering amounts , way to isolate the fans that supported the company .

 

[firewood]

She’s next in line for CEO. No one else at Apple has experience actually running a profitable company. Especially a retail and consumer marketing oriented one with a supply chain.

 

[Osamede]

A meaningless list of self-serving blowhards who have done nothing for the consumer interest.

This not news, let alone Apple news.

 

[MH01]

Whilst Apple continues to become more and more valuable...

So did Microsoft under Steve ballmer ..... and how did apple leap frog them....?

 

[Ynot]

Brilliant ! You can all thank her for a £999 iPhone.... bargain compared to high end watch bands

I don't think she was a good hire , she brought a different way of thinking to apple, that they should charge more , and fashion was more important than tech innovation.

You can see her influence in Apricot Plastic Back Covers for iPad Pro's (9,7) at 80€ where the generation Air 2 got Leather cases fro 56€ and the new 10,5 just get Front covers or Sleeves for 150€ because nobody wanted Back-covers (may be they were just a mite to expensive, she wouldn't know little or no contact to reality)

 

[Dilster3k]

Say what you want but, after visiting some of the Apple "2.0" stores... I have to say I am very very impressed.

 

[firewood]

Every company she has joined prices have gone up by staggering amounts , way to isolate the fans that supported the company .

And make profits for the shareholders. The ones who elect the board that hires the CEO.

Don’t like that? Start you own tech company, and see how large you can grow it.