Tim Cook on Saturday delivered a speech commencement address to Tulane University graduates at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. In his speech, the Apple CEO used some thought-provoking ideas to inspire students. In one instance, he urged grads to "push back" against algorithms that promote the "things you already know, believe or like".
Denise Young Smith, Apple’s Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, is leaving the company at year-end. Christie Smith, who spent 17 years as a principal at Deloitte, will be assuming Young Smith's role, TechCrunch learned Friday.
Apple on Thursday released a new video through its official YouTube channel that highlights the company's efforts when it comes to corporate inclusion and diversity, which is always a hot topic in Silicon Valley.
Apple has created a new Vice President role for its Diversity and Inclusion team. Denise Young Smith, who was Apple's Vice President of Worldwide Human Resources, will now head diversity programs for the Cupertino giant, according to her updated LinkedIn profile.
For more than a decade, Denise sat on the leadership team that built Apple’s retail organization. Before retail, the executive ran human resources for Apple’s Worldwide Operations and Corporate Employee Relations teams.
Prior to joining Apple in 1997, she offered talent, HR and management consulting expertise to early-stage businesses including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers portfolio companies.
Apple's holistic view of diversity looks beyond the usual measurements to include the varied perspectives of its employees, according to its Inclusion & Diversity webpage.
“Diversity is more than any one gender, race or ethnicity,” the webpage quotes Young Smith as saying. “It’s richly representative of all people, all backgrounds, and all perspectives. It is the entire human experience.”
Young Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications and a master’s degree in Organizational Management from Grambling State University in Louisiana.
Her new position means Apple will be without a permanent Vice President of Human Resources. As per sources, Luca Maestri, the company’s Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will fill that role temporarily.
Apple on Wednesday issued an updated diversity report, showing progress in its efforts to beef up the hiring of women and minorities. The iPhone-maker is one of many Silicon Valley firms that has been criticized for having a mostly white, male workforce—particularly at the executive level.
According to the latest numbers, 56% of its US employees are white and 69% of its global staffers are male, but there has been a boost in new-hires. Apple says 54% of the US new hires added within the last year are minorities, meaning their new hires are more diverse than current workers.
Just three days after releasing its diversity report in which it was revealed that its employees are 55% of white and 70% male, Apple made an interesting move by adding five Vice Presidents to the Executive Profiles page on its website.
Of course, it could be the cynic in me believing that adding two women is just pure coincidence, but it's definitely a timely addition.