Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
61,430
26,878



tim_cook_headshot-150x171.jpg


Ars Technica reports that new Apple CEO Tim Cook has sent out an email to Apple employees expressing his enthusiasm for officially taking the reins of the company and reassuring employees that "Apple is not going to change." The full text of the email:
Team:

I am looking forward to the amazing opportunity of serving as CEO of the most innovative company in the world. Joining Apple was the best decision I've ever made and it's been the privilege of a lifetime to work for Apple and Steve for over 13 years. I share Steve's optimism for Apple's bright future.

Steve has been an incredible leader and mentor to me, as well as to the entire executive team and our amazing employees. We are really looking forward to Steve's ongoing guidance and inspiration as our Chairman.

I want you to be confident that Apple is not going to change. I cherish and celebrate Apple's unique principles and values. Steve built a company and culture that is unlike any other in the world and we are going to stay true to that--it is in our DNA. We are going to continue to make the best products in the world that delight our customers and make our employees incredibly proud of what they do.

I love Apple and I am looking forward to diving into my new role. All of the incredible support from the Board, the executive team and many of you has been inspiring. I am confident our best years lie ahead of us and that together we will continue to make Apple the magical place that it is.

Tim
Cook has gained a solid reputation for his leadership abilities and work to streamline Apple's operations. He has also clearly embraced the Apple concept as revealed by the "Cook Doctrine" he laid out over two years ago as he took on the role of overseeing Apple's day-to-day operations during one of Steve Jobs' medical leaves of absence.

TUAW's Michael Grothaus, a former Apple employee, also offers a personal impression of Tim Cook, noting the thoughtfulness and careful consideration he gives when speaking as an example of his leadership abilities "sans ego".
Tim Cook is one of those rare people who stop and think before speaking. Standing in the same room with him I realized that he's comfortable with silence as long as that silence is productive and appropriate. He's not like other tech execs who ramble almost immediately and incoherently at any question lobbed at them, as if doing so will convince others they know everything about everything.

Tim Cook is a person who has confidence in his position as a leader, sans ego. Ego doesn't take pauses. It's rapid-fire. And it's that confidence and lack of ego that allows him the time to examine the issues and questions at hand, no matter how lowly or silly others may think them, and address them appropriately.
Cook has been at Apple since 1998, and while he has played a primary role in hosting Apple's earnings conference calls, he has until relatively recently remained quietly in the background when it comes to Apple's mainstream public appearances. But the company in recent months has been making a more active role for him, most notably as the on-stage representative for Apple at the introduction of the Verizon iPhone earlier this year.

Article Link: Tim Cook to Apple Employees: "Apple is Not Going to Change"
 

DrJohnnyN

Suspended
Jan 27, 2010
1,443
2,027
Now the most powerful gay man in Silicon Valley.

EDIT: Certainly, Mr. Cook’s private life is his own, but it seems that many would believe that a gay man becoming the head of the second most valuable company in the world a major milestone in human history.
 
Last edited:

arcite

macrumors 6502a
Good luck to him, I think he'll do very well. As a lot of people said, Jobs created a culture at Apple that should survive intact for a long time.

Agreed. Apple really is a different company today that it was ten years ago. Just wait until they move into their new headquarters! I'm sure Apple will continue to be on the cutting edge of innovation for the next generation. :cool::apple::apple::apple::apple::apple:
 

crazy4apple

macrumors regular
Jan 26, 2010
127
0
London (UK)
Though he is Gay, I don't see how that is relevant. He is now "One of the most powerful man in Silicon Valley," the gay part doesn't have to be included.

well said, as long as he has Jobs vision on where apple is headed it does not matter

and aslong as they deliver retina display ipad3 in the new year it will be hunky dory :D
 

adztaylor

macrumors 68000
Aug 20, 2009
1,723
2
Preston, UK
Now the most powerful gay man in Silicon Valley.

EDIT: Certainly, Mr. Cook’s private life is his own, but it seems that many would believe that a gay man becoming the head of the second most valuable company in the world a major milestone in human history.

No it shouldn't be a milestone. It should be the norm. A complete non issue. I had no idea he was and frankly I don't care. No need to be mentioned.
 

nwcs

macrumors 68030
Sep 21, 2009
2,722
5,261
Tennessee
Certainly, Mr. Cook’s private life is his own, but it seems that many would believe that a gay man becoming the head of the second most valuable company in the world a major milestone in human history.

No, a major milestone is landing on the moon. This shouldn't even be a footnote in the farmer's almanac.
 

NAG

macrumors 68030
Aug 6, 2003
2,821
0
/usr/local/apps/nag
Just to address the 100 ton gorilla in the room (oh no...now we're going to debate the appropriateness of large gorillas!)...

Eh, so what if someone mentions he is gay. It wasn't done in a demeaning way so the statement should matter just as much as the fact that he is gay. It is like how guys are often flanked by mention of whether they are married and how many kids they have.

Anyway, I'd say I'm anxious to see how Cook handles the CEO spot. But I can't because probably nothing much will change. I'd like to say I'm anxious because change is exciting. Probably biggest change we can look forward to is seeing how they handle keynotes. Please please please find someone new (the current Apple execs are great but they don't match Jobs for showmanship).
 
Last edited:

MonkeySee....

macrumors 68040
Sep 24, 2010
3,858
437
UK
Certainly, Mr. Cook’s private life is his own, but it seems that many would believe that a gay man becoming the head of the second most valuable company in the world a major milestone in human history.

Great, everything is now going to be Pink :rolleyes:


















I jest of course. :p
 

chrmjenkins

macrumors 603
Oct 29, 2007
5,324
158
MD
Why do you feel you must state he's Gay? Is He?, don't know, dont care!
Steve wants him for his expertice, could care less about his lifestyle:cool:

It's significant because it makes him an excellent role model for any gay male who is concerned about his hopes of advancing in a professional environment. Just like women in leadership roles serve as role models.

Grow up Mr. Immature.

Actually, you should look at your own biases if you assume someone can't make a statement like that without meaning it in a negative way.


With that being said, I bet this announcement was planned to take place before the iphone 5 announcement so that when they do announce the iphone 5, the hype overwhelms negative sentiments surrounding Jobs' departure as CEO.
 

jhnnyklry9394

macrumors member
Oct 1, 2010
34
0
I'm looking forward to seeing how things play out for Apple even though I truly doubt much will change... Good luck Tim!
 

NAG

macrumors 68030
Aug 6, 2003
2,821
0
/usr/local/apps/nag
It's significant because it makes him an excellent role model for any gay male who is concerned about his hopes of advancing in a professional environment. Just like women in leadership roles serve as role models.


With that being said, I bet this announcement was planned to take place before the iphone 5 announcement so that when they do announce the iphone 5, the hype overwhelms negative sentiments surrounding Jobs' departure as CEO.

Too bad they couldn't do it last week. Would be interesting to see if HP leaving the computer business is more or less important than Jobs morphing from CEO to chairman of the board (and honestly, the former is more important).
 

jmsait19

macrumors 6502
Jan 26, 2004
378
0
MO
with Jobs still being Chairman, who is to say they won't tag him for Keynotes?

And agreed on the gay thing... I had no idea, and really it doesn't even matter... It wouldn't, and shouldn't, have been noteworthy if he was straight? or black? or canadian? would it? so I don't know why it matters if he's gay... the sooner everyone let's go of that, the sooner it becomes a non-issue.
 

Shrink

macrumors G3
Feb 26, 2011
8,929
1,617
New England, USA
No it shouldn't be a milestone. It should be the norm. A complete non issue. I had no idea he was and frankly I don't care. No need to be mentioned.

I agree, almost completely. It should not be notable, in the best of all possible worlds.

Unfortunately, we still live in a homophobic world. Noting that a gay man is capable of leading a major corporation is news for some - those who somehow consider gays, or african americans, or other minorities lesser beings of somehow diminished competence.

When Obama was elected (no matter what one thinks of him) it was notable that he was the first person of color to be elected to the office. Once again, in a better world, it should not matter. In our world of prejudice - it is notable.

I do, again, agree it should be a non-issue. I look forward to the time when it is truly irrelevant.
 
Last edited:

ArztMac

macrumors regular
Jul 22, 2011
192
13
Good luck to Tim Cook.

He'll do great, but so would a ton of other people. Apple is functioning as it is.

What we'll get is regular refreshes of beloved products, a new iPad every year, a new iPhone every year, new iPods every year. Every 2-3 years a new product or category will be introduced. Soon we'll get a peek at Apple's brand new operating system, perhaps OS XI, and so on.

I predict that for the forseeable future only the regular speaker at Apple Keynotes will change.

WHICH IS GREAT NEWS!

This is ALL to the credit of Steve Jobs. He made it like this. He created Apple and he would not leave his executive leader position if he even had the smallest of doubts that Apple would stray of its course... Thanks Steve!
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.