Steve Dowling Takes Over as Interim PR Chief at Apple

[MacRumors]

Longtime Apple public relations veteran Steve Dowling has stepped into the role of interim head of public relations, reports Re/code. Dowling was offered the position by Tim Cook last week, after Apple spent six months searching for a replacement for Katie Cotton.

Following Cotton's departure from the company, Apple was said to be looking for a "friendlier, more approachable face" to take over. While Apple was said to have considered outside candidates like former White House press secretary Jay Carney, rumors in June suggested the position could go to either Steve Dowling or Nat Kerris, another veteran PR employee.

According to Re/code, Dowling's position is temporary, and Apple has plans to continue to look for other possible high-profile external candidates.

Dowling's appointment has been framed to employees as an interim one and I'm told Apple will continue to evaluate worthy outside candidates if one should pop up. That said, the fact that Cook has officially put Dowling at the top of Apple's PR organization suggests he could remain there. Given that, what will Nat Kerris -- who has headed up Apple product PR for years, recently overseeing the company's massive Watch and iPhone 6 event -- do now? Reached for comment, Apple confirmed Dowling's new role, but declined to confirm his title or provide comment.

Dowling has worked for Apple for eleven years and before taking over Cotton's former role, he served as the senior director of corporate public relations at the company. Before that he worked at CNBC's Washington Bureau for eight years.

The search for a "friendlier" PR chief to replace Cotton follows Apple's efforts to be more open under Tim Cook's leadership. The company has thus far loosened non-disclosure restrictions on developers, made WWDC session materials available to the public, and invited a range of new publications to its iPhone 6 event, including sites that had previously been shunned.

Article Link: Steve Dowling Takes Over as Interim PR Chief at Apple

 

[Just sayin...]

Steve's stepping into a real tough situation - good luck...

 

[Menopause]

iPR Chief. Like,

 

[Rogifan]

iPR Chief. Like,

Image

That font.

 

[MellowFuzz]

Just give him the job and get on with it - either he's capable or he's not.

 

[BigBeast]

The search for a "friendlier" PR chief to replace Cotton follows Apple's efforts to be more open under Tim Cook's leadership. The company has thus far loosened non-disclosure restrictions on developers, made WWDC session materials available to the public, and invited a range of new publications to its iPhone 6 event, including sites that had previously been shunned.

The new friendlier face of Apple– unless you document proof of product flaws etc., which forces Apple to go HAM.
Apple Bans Computer Bild from Future Releases

 

[jonnysods]

He's got a lot of work to do right now!

 

[Bokito]

As a kid I once got an answer from him on a question I send in. Really kind guy in my eyes, also seen a lot of his responses around the web in the past. I think they should quickly drop de 'i' from 'iPR-chief'.

 

[rish]

He's got a very tough job to do right now. Apple is in the toilet based on the recent close succession of debacles.

 

[Glassed Silver]

The new friendlier face of Apple– unless you document proof of product flaws etc., which forces Apple to go HAM.
Apple Bans Computer Bild from Future Releases

I totally get your point, but just as a sidenote: I'm glad Axel Springer get some flak.
Yes, they will fire back at Apple and they'll feel that for a long time, but I take joy in them getting some medicine.

The BILD newspaper which is owned by Axel Springer as well is such an awful paper it's not even funny.
Think Sun, Daily Mail, etc...
Hard to directly compare them, but I think for how much the BILD newspaper sells they have the worst impact on public opinion in terms of printed and possibly digital news outlets.

Glassed Silver:mac

 

[dannyyankou]

"A friendlier, more approachable face"

Here's the predecessor-

 

[DoubleU]

If they've looked at the White House for possible PR people maybe they should go for Kal Penn from the 'Harold and Kumar' movies. He works as an Associate Director in the Office of Public Engagement and seems like a laid back friendly kind of chap.

 

[Rogifan]

Why is this still interim after six months? Either he's the right guy for the job or he's not.

----------

He's got a very tough job to do right now. Apple is in the toilet based on the recent close succession of debacles.

And yet the stock is still right around $100 and news reports say initial reservations for the new phone in China were 2 million within 6 hours. If that's being in the toilet...

 

[tevion5]

Just give him the job and get on with it - either he's capable or he's not.

Because building a great team of employees comes from impulsive hiring.

 

[Rogifan]

Because building a great team of employees comes from impulsive hiring.

He's not a new employee and Katie a Cotton left Apple months ago.

 

[rish]

For a guy who has quite a role to play at Apple interim seems harsh unless he's unsure himself.

Plus only 14 comments! People don't appreciate what a PR chief has to endure to get the right message out there.

 

[AppleP59]

For a guy who has quite a role to play at Apple interim seems harsh unless he's unsure himself.

Plus only 14 comments! People don't appreciate what a PR chief has to endure to get the right message out there.

Apple's general PR strategy is to say nothing.

 

[Redneck1089]

He will spin the crap out of any manufacturing defect to make it look like a feature! Wew!