Apple this week announced that it has hired banking veteran Cynthia Bowman as its new Vice President of Inclusion and Diversity. Bowman is taking over the role from Barbara Whye, who joined the company in 2021 after a run at Intel. Whye is retiring and Apple says she will be working with Bowman over the coming months to ensure a seamless transition.
The news was confirmed by an Apple spokesperson to Bloomberg. “We are excited that Cynthia Bowman will serve as Apple’s next Vice President of Inclusion and Diversity,” the company told the publication. “Cynthia is an accomplished leader in her field and is deeply committed to the work we’re doing to advance inclusion and diversity at Apple.”
Before joining the team at Apple, Bowman worked for Bank of America for 17 years. She has also worked for companies such as Accenture and AT&T. Bowman will report to Apple’s Chief People Officer Carol Surface, and will work with groups to support diversity.
Support for diversity and inclusion has long been one of the company’s core tenets. However, the company’s Inclusion & Diversity website hasn’t been updated with new data since 2022.
Between 2014 and 2022, the percentage of Black employees at Apple rose to about 9% from 7% in the US. The number of Asian employees doubled to 30%, while the share of Latino workers increased to 15% from 11%. Globally, women account for 35% of Apple’s workforce, up from 30% in 2014.