The retirement of longtime Apple public relations chief Katie Cotton became official as of May 30th, and Apple CEO Tim Cook is personally heading the search for an external candidate who can put a “friendlier, more approachable face” on the company.
[T]hough there are at least two well-qualified internal candidates for the job — comms veterans Steve Dowling and Nat Kerris — Apple is also looking outside the company for Cotton’s replacement. Sources in position to know tell Code/red that CEO Tim Cook is overseeing the search, aiming to find some high-profile external candidates for consideration. And he’s paying particular attention to those he believes could put a friendlier, more approachable face on Apple’s public relations efforts.
The company continues to open up under Tim Cook’s leadership. Last week’s Worldwide Developers Conference reflected this, as the company made session materials available to the public, while loosening up non-disclosure restrictions on developers.
As for the external search for a new PR Chief, Cook has a history of seeking replacements from outside the company, such as when Apple Retail’s VP Ron Johnson left, and was first replaced with John Browett, former CEO of Dixons, and then by current Retail VP Angela Ahrendts, who is formerly CEO of Burberry.
