Apple today announced the hiring of a new Senior Vice President of Retail, with John Browett getting the top job.
Browett, a the former head of Dixons in the UK, takes over from Ron Johnson who left to take up a role at JC Penney last November.
The new hire will start in his new position in April, with Apple CEO Tim Cook seemingly pleased with the new recruit, despite Dixons’ poor performance on the UK high street over the last few years…
Cook said in a statement released today:
“Our retail stores are all about customer service, and John shares that commitment like no one else we’ve met,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We are thrilled to have him join our team and bring his incredible retail experience to Apple.”
While Browlett’s time at Dixons may not be one of the company’s most successful spells, he did have a better time when in charge of Tesco.com, the online arm of one of the UK’s largest supermarkets.
Apple will be hoping that the Dixons experience was an anomaly, with Dixons Retail currently trading at one of its lowest points in the last five years.
Apple is currently aiming to expand its retail stores into India, and Browlett will no doubt have a key role to play in such a venture. Here’s hoping Apple Stores don’t suddenly start featuring huge neon lights and brightly colored point of sale any time soon.
You can check out the full Apple press release here.