Carol Surface, who only came to Apple in early 2023 to oversee human resources, has decided to step away from her position after being with the company for under two years. Deirdre O’Brien, who had led Apple’s people and retail divisions previously, will take over again. O’Brien will now be in charge of both departments—HR and retail—just like she was before Surface’s appointment.
This latest change reflects a continued trend in Apple’s executive ranks, with several long-time leaders either retiring or transitioning out.
A Short-Lived Role at Apple
Surface was a key hire for Apple just a short time ago. Her background? She worked at Medtronic before moving to Apple, serving as Chief People Officer there, too. Before that, she handled similar roles at Best Buy, and PepsiCo, a major name in the food and beverage industry. Surface’s tenure at Apple, however, didn’t last as long as expected, as she exits without an official reason being given for her decision to leave.
Despite this, Apple confirmed her departure, and for now, her duties are being transferred back to O’Brien. O’Brien, a veteran at Apple for over 30 years, had handled both people operations and retail until Surface arrived.
Changing Leadership at Apple
Apple has seen several veteran executives step down recently, and Surface’s departure is just the latest. In fact, Apple has seen retirements across a variety of key departments. Notably, Luca Maestri, Apple’s Chief Financial Officer, will retire by the end of 2024. Hardware executive Dan Riccio will also be leaving the company.
The restructuring of Apple’s leadership comes at a time when the company is preparing for transitions in many of its core departments. While it remains to be seen if another HR leader will be brought in or if O’Brien will continue in both roles for the long term, this departure continues the reshaping of Apple’s internal leadership team.
Tim Cook Praised Surface’s Experience
Surface was highly regarded when she joined Apple, with CEO Tim Cook highlighting her extensive HR experience. She was a part of a small circle of senior executives who directly reported to Cook and worked closely on handling the company’s vast workforce. Apple’s HR team, which oversees around 160,000 employees, is a major part of the company’s operations, and Surface was expected to play a key role in maintaining its internal structure.
Since her departure, Apple has not made it clear if they are actively searching for a replacement, leaving O’Brien to manage both roles for the time being. Surface’s role in the company’s HR and diversity efforts will now be absorbed into O’Brien’s duties, as she continues to juggle her expanded responsibilities across both the people and retail teams.
Other Important Executives That Left Apple
The wave of changes within Apple’s top leadership extends beyond the departure of Carol Surface. Luca Maestri, who has served as Apple’s Chief Financial Officer for a decade, is set to step down from his role in January 2025. Under Maestri’s leadership, Apple saw its most profitable years. Though he will no longer be CFO, Maestri isn’t fully leaving the company—he will continue to oversee Corporate Services. His successor, Kevan Parekh, is currently the Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis, and will take on the CFO role.
Other key executives are also heading for the exit. Dan Riccio, a senior engineering executive and a major figure in the development of Apple’s Vision Pro, will be retiring in October 2024. Riccio has been a prominent force behind some of Apple’s most ambitious projects.
Joining Riccio in his departure is Dan Rosckes, who has spent an impressive 24 years at Apple managing procurement. His exit also coincides with the upcoming departure of Matt Fischer, the head of the App Store, who will leave his position later this month. Saori Casey, one of Maestri’s top deputies in Apple’s finance department, left earlier in the year to become the CFO at Sonos.
These departures are part of a broader reshaping of Apple’s leadership as the company faces a new era, with some of its longest-serving executives transitioning out after years of steering the company through growth and innovation.
The maybe most impactful leave from Apple in recent years was the one of Jony Ive, who emerged as the design mastermind of modern Apple products under the reign of founder Steve Jobs. Jony Ive officially left Apple in 2019. He had been with the company for nearly three decades and was instrumental in designing some of Apple’s most iconic products, including the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook. After his departure, Ive started his own design firm, LoveFrom, which initially had Apple as a client. His exit marked the end of an era, as he had been a key figure in shaping Apple’s product aesthetics and design philosophy.
Ive and Apple had a multiyear contract valued at over $100 million for LoveFrom to continue working with Apple as a consultant. In July 2022, it was reported that Ive and Apple agreed to stop working together, ending their contract and their 30-year relationship.
Last Updated on November 7, 2024 2:30 pm CET
