Corporate

Apple’s CFO Peter Oppenheimer lands a seat on the Goldman Sachs board

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 24, 2016

Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, has joined the Board of Directors of investment banking firm Goldman Sachs. The appointment brings the Goldman Sachs board to thirteen directors, ten of whom are independent.

According to a newly published webpage over at Goldman Sachs, Oppenheimer will be a member of each of the firm’s Audit, Risk, Compensation and Corporate Governance, Nominating and Public Responsibilities committees.

“Peter’s 25 years of broad experience across important industries will add a valuable perspective to our Board of Directors,” said Lloyd C. Blankfein, Chairman and CEO in a prepared statement. “We appreciate his willingness to serve as a director and look forward to benefitting from his judgment and counsel”...

Verizon completes purchase of Vodafone’s 45% stake in Verizon Wireless

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 21, 2014

Verizon last September announced that it has reached an agreement with Vodafone to buyout its 45 percent stake in Verizon Wireless in one of the largest corporate acquisitions in history.

In December, the Big Red carrier won necessary approvals from the Federal Communications Commission and today the company announced that the acquisition has been completed - Verizon now owns 100 percent of the "industry-leading U.S. wireless carrier"...

Aerial photo shows significant demolition progress being made at iSpaceship site

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 19, 2014

Apple's upcoming new headquarters, Campus 2 aka iSpaceship, has cleared the last remaining hurdle after the Cupertino City Council unanimously approved the project in November 2013. Apple has since started demolishing the site.

Ron Cervi, news and traffic reporter for KCBS, has posted a nice-looking aerial photograph of the site on his Instagram profile, showing significant demolition progress being made...

After spending 12 years with Apple, head of Technology Advancement Group retires

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 19, 2014

NetworkWorld is reporting that Brett Bilbrey, head of Apple's Technology Advancement Group, has retired after spending nearly twelve years with the company.

During his tenure at Apple, Bilbrey has contributed to a number of projects and was a prolific inventor whose name can be found on a number of patent filings detailing such inventions as a wireless charging system or a 3D imaging camera for iOS devices.

He is also credited with a recent filing for a dynamic, reconfigurable and touch-sensitive keyboard. Most recently, as of August 2008, Bilbrey was heading up Apple's Technology Advancement Group. But what exactly does the group do? Read on...

Jony Ive’s brief removal from Apple’s Leadership page blamed on a technical glitch

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

After being promoted to Apple's Senior Vice President of all Design, London-born industrial designer Jony Ive's prominence both internally and externally has raised tremendously as a result. Ive's become arguably the most important Apple exec as he now gets to control and oversee key aspects of the company's product development efforts.

According to Walter Isaacson's bio book on Steve Jobs, the Apple co-founder ensured there was no one at the company to boss Jony around. Small wonder then that the blogosphere went into overdrive as Ive's bio photo disappeared from Apple's corporate Leadership web page earlier this morning, albeit only briefly.

The page wouldn't show Ive among the high-ranked Apple executives, such as CEO Tim Cook and SVP of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller. Making matter even more peculiar, the URL never stopped working and would continue to take visitors to Ive's bio page.

Shortly after Ive's photo was back up again, an Apple spokesperson said in a written statement that the brief removal was the work of a technical glitch and cautioned bloggers not to read too much into it...

Former Cercacor CTO Marcelo Lamego joins Apple and other iWatch hires

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Apple's hiring spree of biosensor experts continues with the latest revelation pointing to another high-profile executive hire.

According to the newest scoop by NetworkWorld, the former chief technology officer of non-invasive patient monitoring company Cercacor, Marcelo Lamego, has joined Apple's iWatch team.

Apple has been hiring some of the world's top experts in sleep research, medical devices and biosensing, fueling speculation that its rumored wearable device will focus on health and fitness tracking...

Apple’s VP of iPad and Mac operations retires

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Apple has lost one of its key iPad and Mac executives, Rita Lane, who has retired from the company, according to her public LinkedIn profile highlighted by Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac. Her role at Apple as Vice President of Operations was a significant one.

As such, she was instrumental in helping manage Apple's supply chain and manufacturing for iPads, Macs and Mac accessories. Lane worked under the supervision of Apple's Senior Vice President of Operations, Jeff Williams, who took over from the previous op-chief Tim Cook, now the Apple CEO...

As institutional investors side with Apple, Carl Icahn withdraws his buyback proposal

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 16, 2016

Controversial activist investor Carl Icahn continues to aggressively purchase shares of Apple while insisting that the company increase the size of its share buyback program. His proposal for a $50 billion buyback has been met with resistance by proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) which now recommends voting against the plan.

ISS argues that the Apple board has already returned the bulk of its U.S.-generated cash to shareholders through the company's aggressive stock buybacks and dividends payouts. As a result of large institutional investors siding with Apple, Icahn has withdrawn his proposal...

Apple reportedly poaches sleep and activity monitoring Philips expert for iWatch team

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

In another round of high-profile corporate hires, Apple has apparently poached a sleep research expert from the Dutch technology company Philips.

Specifically, Roy J.E.M Raymann used to lead sleep research at Philips Research, the company's research and development arm. Not anymore: it's now assumed he joined Apple's iWatch team.

According to a new report, this particular guy is experienced in wearables, sensors and non-pharmacological methods of improving sleep quality, an indication that Apple's rumored wearable project will be much, much more than a smartwatch...

Microsoft names Satya Nadella new CEO, Bill Gates steps down as Chairman

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 2, 2017

The search for a new Microsoft CEO following Steve Ballmer's August 2013 announcement of his retirement is finally over as the Windows maker on Tuesday announced major executive changes at the top. Insider Satya Nadella has become the new Microsoft boss and a board member.

He previously held the position of Executive Vice President of Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise group and is the third Microsoft CEO since the company's inception. Also important, Bill Gates will be stepping down as Chairman but will retain a board seat serving as an adviser. Lead independent director John Thompson would succeed Gates as Chairman, the software giant said...

Apple celebrates Mac’s 30th anniversary with new video shot entirely on iPhone 5s, edited on Mac

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

OK, Apple didn't exactly return to Super Bowl with a 30th Mac anniversary ad like advertising legend Lee Clow a week ago hinted it would, but that doesn't mean the company is letting the Super Bowl ad blitz mute its message.

Not only did Apple celebrate the occasion by letting ABC News and MacWorld interview CEO Tim Cook, it also posted an interactive Mac timeline on Apple.com and a new ‘Happy Birthday, Mac’ section on the Mac App Store, dressed up retail stores' window displays in Mac-themed graphics and hung commemorative posters up on the walls of its Cupertino HQ.

The company even hid a custom font on its servers featuring gorgeous Mac model icons. And now, Apple has posted a new video on its homepage dedicated to the 30 years of Mac innovation. The 125-second clip was shot entirely on iPhones and edited on Macs, have a look at it right below the fold and meet us in comments...

Tim Cook visits Irish government to talk tax evasion

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 31, 2014

Apple CEO Tim Cook flew to Ireland today to meet with the country's government officials and tour the company's corporate office. Although the meeting agenda was shrouded in secrecy, media reported Cook and the head of government discussed tax loopholes and a change in the Irish laws that should prevent firms like Apple and Google to avoid declaring tax residency in either the U.S. or Ireland.

A loophole in Ireland's corporate tax laws has enabled many of the world's top corporations to operate as virtually stateless firms, ungoverned by any nation’s taxing authority...