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John Browett Officially Joins Apple as Retail Chief, Receives Stock Rights Worth $60 Million

Tim Cook must want someone to dumb down McDonaldise Apple Stores and focus employees on swindling customers into extended warranties they don't want.

The man is a complete failure from a notoriously bad UK company famed for terrible service.
 
If our American members had been subjected to the PC World/Dixons experience then they would know why the Brits here have been so negative.

Honestly, it'll be interesting to see what he brings to the table given his track record of bad customer service with PC World and Dixons.
 
ericinboston said:
Apple needs more unique products and possibly more retail outlets. Other than that, I honestly have no idea what the CRO is going to add in terms of value for a company that sells 3-5 products.
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This is an interesting theory that is unsupported by the evidence at hand. Apple decreases their product line, sales per square foot increase. They stop selling software, sales per foot increase.

Apple's selling a platform. How many distinct platforms can you reasonably make without blurring the lines between them?

There are all kinds of ways to increase sales at retail without expanding the product line. Think of the millions of Android users -- many of them would have been happy iPhone users as well. It's folly to suggest that all of them preferred Android. Some were price conscious, some were drawn in by the fact that the carriers barely advertise Apple products. Consumers are so pessimistic. Store is the best advertising Apple's got -- everything else is just a way to draw people into the store.

Consider an enterprise Apple store. Same hardware sold, but showcasing not consumer apps, but the apps that directly affect the enterprise. Executive accessories, ruggedization, consulting. Selling whole office programs with installations and wireless and security setups included in the price. Et cetera.
 
Years ago the stores were a shambles with useless staff and terrible service. Browett was changing this mentality of the staff to follow the apple model with cleaner looking stores and better informed staff. The people who are panicking about what he's changing (potentially) shouldn't be to concerned, they're remembering the stores of old. I think the appointment was more to do with instore concessions and how they expand that business model than trying to change there already established business model!
 
imgonephishin said:
Wow. So just for surviving the first 6 months he gets $3,000,000 in stock alone (not sure what his salary is). If he lasts the remainder of the year he pockets an additional $9,000,000. At $12MM a year, he makes about the same amount per day, seven days a week, as the average US salary per year: $35K vs. a national average of $39K.

P.S. I might add that this is for the FIRST year's performance, this is not rewarding a stellar prior year. We've all been at new jobs where basically the first 6 months is getting up and running and learning the ropes of business, culture, industry, etc.
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So, so far we know he is a good negotiator.
 
bad03xtreme said:
So you think this guy just came out of nowhere to land a sweet job at Apple and got offered 60mil in Stock because they heard he was a hard worker. I am sure he started at the bottom somewhere in life and has worked his way up through ways I am not sure of but I highly doubt the job fell into his lap...
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Honestly, my biggest beef with these payouts (and the culture that comes with it) is they aren't sustainable long term and encourage a system of more more more vs a responsible plateau.

If that sounds safe and boring, then you're probably on the right track. :)
 
Schizoid said:
Could this be the guy that bursts Apple's bubble?
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Yup...one man wrecking crew.

Do you really think one guy will bring Apple down...if that's what you meant by "bursts Apple's bubble"?

Not that it's impossible to hire the wrong guy, but let's look at Apple's track record in it's executive hiring.

Not exactly in the toilet...:rolleyes:
 
Apple shareholder...and not happy!

With 120 million in the bank,where is my one time bonus div? Im sure this guy is good at what he does...but 60 million over 5 years is crazy! Steve Jobs would not be happy!
 
What exactly has changed at Apple Retail in the last 6 months? As far as I can see, nada. Bear in mind Ron Johnson (with help from iSteve) came up with the whole concept of the Apple Store, drove the thing forward and made it the best in the business; and this clown is seemingly reaping the rewards of the momentum Johnson's model has had from the start? Nice work if you can get it.

DSG Group (Dixons, Currys, PC World) has always been absolutely the worst consumer electronics retail experience in the UK. Browett didn't change that. However impressive his "commitment to customer service" was he didn't deliver. Real artists ship.
 
I have no problem with rewarding success but this guy gets a share bonus worth $60m on the day he starts! That's nut's. He hasn't done anything whatsoever to warrant this award. He could be the worst appointment in the history of the company and he would still walk away a multi millionaire.

Apple should have waited for at least a year, judge his performance and then decide what share options to award.

It's no wonder the corporate world is ********* up.

I'm really NOT impressed with the way Tim Cook is running Apple since Steve's death. This is just wrong on so many levels.
 
ericinboston said:
Not true...places like GE, IBM, numerous banks, pharmaceuticals, etc. that have far more products, employees, and overall contribution to the economy...those companies responsibility (other than the obvious "let's make the company successful") are VASTLY greater than Steve/Tim creating a new iPod for 50 million people across the globe...or a new phone. Those other companies affect many hundreds if not BILLIONS of people across the planet...as well as economies across the globe.
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That's not what I meant, I was referring to the responsibilities of the job and position they hold at Apple. Tim Cook has overall responsibility for a $550Bn company, if it all turns to crap he's the one the finger will be pointed at. That is a lot of responsibility and there is no reason why he shouldn't be paid for it, same for the other execs.

Though I think you vastly underestimate the value of Apple to the economy as a whole. If we woke up tomorrow to the news that Apple was an Enron style scam then the world wouldn't end, but there would be a lot of fallout especially if Angry Birds stopped working.

----------
Macist said:
Tim Cook must want someone to dumb down McDonaldise Apple Stores and focus employees on swindling customers into extended warranties they don't want.

The man is a complete failure from a notoriously bad UK company famed for terrible service.
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If Apple had employed an executive from McDonalds would you be claiming it was just a matter of time before Apple retail staff were asking if you wanted to "have fries with your iPad" or "super-size your Mac".
 
the read said:
Would you let your teenage daughter hang out with the tramps and gang members under the bridge near the local park, just to experiment if it will work, or give it ago just to see what happens?

Oh she's pregnant with a farther less child. Oops...

Ok let's maybe not do that again, but what about those dudes that hang around the parking lot at the cheap naff electrical Dixans shop every night, could they be really nice people....
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Wow, really? Comparing Apple's hiring of this guy to your teenage daughter getting pregnant...yeah, that makes perfect sense :rolleyes: Because he's going to get Apple pregnant? Huh?

Seriously though, it's not like this one person is responsible for all that is Apple. It's not like he won't have people watching over him to make sure things go the way they're supposed to. So the stores he ran in the UK were crap according to all of you, that's fine. But I believe that the folks over at Apple saw something useful in him, or they wouldn't have hired him. Apple is far from perfect, but there's some pretty damn smart people making decisions over there. So I say give the guy a chance.
 
Wow!

I wonder if they could've given a paid week off to all the employees in China - any maybe cut his compensation by- what- 25%?

But, yeah- it's hard to find good people with a sign on bonus of only $45 Million
 
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