Apple Leadership Shakeup: Major Departures and Moves

Apple is reshuffling senior leadership as several executives depart or retire. Key moves include Alan Dye leaving for Meta, Jennifer Newstead joining as General Counsel, John Giannandrea’s retirement, and succession shifts across design, legal and AI.

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Apple Leadership Shakeup: Major Departures and Moves

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Apple is undergoing a notable leadership reshuffle as several senior executives announce departures and retirements. From design to legal and AI strategy, the changes mark a pivotal moment for the company as it prepares new internal alignments and external hires.

Design talent heads to Meta as Apple reassigns duties

Alan Dye, Apple’s vice president of Human Interface Design since 2015, is leaving the company to lead a new design studio at Meta. Dye’s exit follows other recent design departures and underscores a period of flux in Apple’s creative ranks. CEO Tim Cook confirmed that Steve Lemay — a veteran with credits across Apple interfaces since 1999 — will step into Dye’s responsibilities.

Legal and policy leadership shifts

Apple also revealed upcoming changes in its legal and policy teams. Katherine Adams, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, and Lisa Jackson, Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, will both be leaving the company over the next two years.

  • Lisa Jackson will retire at the end of January. Her Government Affairs portfolio will be temporarily overseen by Katherine Adams until Adams’s own departure.
  • Katherine Adams plans to retire in late 2026. In the interim, Sabih Khan, Apple’s Chief Operating Officer, will absorb the Environment and Social Initiatives group.

  • Jennifer Newstead, formerly Meta’s Chief Legal Officer, will become Apple’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel on March 1 — a swift, high-profile hire that signals continuity in legal leadership.

    Katherine Adams (left) and Lisa Jackson (right) will be leaving Apple next year

AI and machine learning leadership evolves

John Giannandrea, who led Apple’s Machine Learning and AI Strategy, announced his retirement and will remain as an advisor until spring 2026. Amar Subramanya has been promoted to Vice President of AI, taking on day-to-day responsibilities for Apple’s growing AI initiatives.

What this means for Apple’s future

These exits and promotions are more than personnel changes: they reshape decision-making across design, policy and AI — three areas central to Apple’s product roadmap and public positioning. The company is balancing internal succession with selective external hiring (for example, Newstead and Dye’s move to Meta), which suggests Apple is both consolidating experience and refreshing its talent pool.

Rumors swirl about the CEO succession

Adding fuel to the conversation, industry rumors suggest Tim Cook’s tenure as CEO may be nearing an end. John Ternus, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, is frequently mentioned as a possible successor. Whether or not that speculation proves true, Apple’s recent leadership churn will be closely watched by investors, competitors and developers alike.

For a company built on design, privacy, and advancing AI, these leadership moves will shape product priorities and corporate strategy for years to come. Expect more adjustments as Apple integrates new leaders and reassigns responsibilities across its senior ranks.

Source: gsmarena

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