Apple Senior Vice President Bob Mansfield is leaving the company’s executive team, but will remain at Apple working on “special projects”, reporting to Tim Cook.
AllThingsD, via MacRumors:
“Bob is no longer going to be on Apple’s executive team, but will remain at Apple working on special projects reporting to Tim,” company spokesman Steve Dowling told AllThingsD.
He declined any further explanation, refusing to comment on the reasons behind Mansfield’s abrupt demotion or whether Apple plans to appoint a new SVP of technologies.
Mansfield is currently SVP of Technologies, reporting directly to CEO Cook, overseeing a group focused on innovation in wireless technology and semiconductors.
It was announced last year that Mansfield would be retiring from Apple, but several months later it was announced that he would be staying on. At the time it was reported that Mansfield had agreed to stay at Apple through at least 2014, following the departure of former iOS chief Scott Forstall. Later it was revealed that, facing an “insurrection” after Mansfield announced his retirement, Tim Cook gave him an extremely generous package to stay on.
Mansfield has had a big hand in Apple’s recent success, overseeing the development of the MacBook Air notebooks, as well as recent iPhone and iPad designs.
