Bob Mansfield is no longer on Apple’s executive team but will remain at Apple working on special projects reporting directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Reuters’ Poornima Gupta reports via Twitter (below).
This confirmation follows a report by MacRumors’ Jordan Golson, “Apple Senior Vice President Bob Mansfield has been removed from Apple’s Leadership website in the past 24 hours with no explanation.”
Golson reports, “Mansfield is currently Senior Vice President of Technologies reporting directly to Tim Cook, a position he took last October, overseeing a group focused on innovation in wireless technology and semiconductors.”
Apple says Bob Mansfield is no longer on Apple's exec team but will remain at Apple working on special projects reporting to Cook. $AAPL
— Nima Gupta (@PoornimaGupta) July 29, 2013
John Paczkowski confirms via AllThingsD, “Mansfield is no longer a member of Apple’s executive team. ‘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, a longtime Apple exec announced his retirement from the company in June of 2012 only to return to it a few months later in a new, larger role following a big executive shakeup. He agreed to stay at Apple for an additional two years, serving as SVP of Technologies, a position charged with overseeing Apple’s wireless and semiconductor teams,” Paczkowski writes. “Which makes his sudden removal from Apple’s executive team all the more curious.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Interesting, but perhaps this allows Bob to better focus on his special projects and at least there’s already a Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering (Dan Riccio) in place.
We’re still waiting a new SVP of Retail. We understand Tim may be suffering from a case of “once bitten, twice shy,” but the wait for the (obviously) ill-fated Browett’s replacement is getting ridiculous.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Bill” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Un-retired: Why Bob Mansfield is back at Apple in a big way – November 1, 2012
Tim Cook takes full control of Apple: John Browett and Scott Forstall out; Jony Ive, Bob Mansfield, Eddy Cue and Craig Federighi get expanded responsibilities – October 29, 2012
Apple CEO Tim Cook expands executive team, Senior VP Hardware Engineering Bob Mansfield will not retire – August 27, 2012
Brain drain? Apple’s Bob Mansfield is 2nd key exec to leave since Steve Jobs died – June 29, 2012
Bob Mansfield, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, to retire; Dan Riccio to take over – June 28, 2012
It was timing, not performance-based. Bob is a terrific leader!
He is going into undercover assigments
Oh the uncertainty. This won’t be good for stock price esp. when CNBC blows it all out of proportion!
If Apple and Mansfield were both forthcoming about this there won’t be any speculation. However, because Apple and Mansfield have hidden the real reason for Mansfield’s “re-assignment” there will be no end to the rumormongering and potential financial fall out.
Could be a personal issue such as health or something
Ya. Also, working at a corporate office is not the be-all and end-all for most people – even if the company is Apple. Particularly when you’ve made big bucks, reached retirement age, and have probably made some cool plans. And at a time one has most likely already seen colleagues, neighbors, and friends pass away, perhaps some prematurely or suddenly. Makes you think about your priorities, and how you want to spend the rest of your life. We won’t be taking more, or any, money with us when you die. Anyway, thanks Bob, for delaying your tetirement plans and sticking around a while to help Apple.
On the retail issue I agree enough already. If you can not find some outside then promote someone from within. Maybe the cows are coming home soon
Did you see the news that JC Penney is accused of raising its normal prices to have a higher sale price? Apple should just rehire Ron Johnson.
The current JCP leadership is playing to the customer base they think they have. Ron Johnson was playing to the customer base he felt JCP needed to attract to survive. He wasn’t allowed to work long enough for them to arrive. The JCP BoDs planning horizon is shorter than their…
Yet another omen that Apple is doomed. Or, wait! It’s a signal to the market that Tim Cook is firmly in control, and is making incisive decisions. Or it could be that Mansfield’s retirement is now cleared for takeoff, as his projects have been properly dealt to qualified managers. It could mean that Cook is crazed with power and is a wild-eyed Caligula. It could mean that the moon will soon be in Scorpio. The portents are indeed ominous, but I trust the scrupulous reporting of the tech press to get to the bottom of it and locate the truth, no matter how many ad-laden articles they are forced to publish.
^ One of the best comments yet. Touché.
Apple should hire you as the next Guy Kawasaki… Andy Ihnatko used to be an entertaining contender (until he sold out for cash, did an about face, and lost all integrity from that point forward).
Stop fretting. All according to plan. He doesn’t need to be part of exec anymore. Replacements mentored. Other people taking the driving wheel. Mansfield handing over control.
Dysfunctional, confusing, and adrift. It’s what happens when leadership is weak.
Yes but we’re not talking about Microsoft here.
Reporting directly to Tim Cook: iCEO?
All the SVPs report directly to Tim Cook. Are they all iCEOs?
A VERY nerdy reference here, but a Star Trek Next Gen episode popped into my mind. The one where Scotty (from the original series) is found “in stasis” on an old wrecked starship by the Next Gen crew. The episode is called “Relics.”
So, I’m picturing Bob Mansfield walking around Starship Apple’s Engineering deck, and saying stuff like, “I was designing Apple hardware when you were still wearing diapers…” And that got to be a bit too annoying for everyone. 😉
Well, maybe not…
I’m not sure why this is big news. He tried retiring and was given a boat load of money to stay a little longer. The statement was instead of retiring ‘now’, he’d scale back down and then partially retire soon. This is now the ‘soon’ part, he wants to retire and is obviously very well in demand.
Adding to your thoughts, the next big wave of Apple hardware is likely complete and heading for munafacturing, making this a perfect time to put retirement back on track.
Sorry spin folks, but this is big news. This is not the way Senior VP’s of Bob Mansfield’s stature are reassigned or retired. Something not too good is swirling on this.
Your swirling is what is not good.
What’s swirling is your excremental comment. Please remove your head from the toilet.
It is unusual that a major realignment in the Apple hierarchy is not preceded by a public press release. Apple’s penchant for secrecy has bit them in the ass. Apple should have been open and transparent about Mansfield – now the whole world will be speculating about this – all to Apple’s detriment and embarrassment.
Molehill not mountain. Mansfield tried to leave and was paid to stay. This is a good transition point for him with or without a string of superlatives from Cook.
This is him getting fired without breaking his contract. Same language as the Forstall departure. He probably has failed with getting the Mac Pro out on schedule and Tim had enough.
Dalrymple and Gruber saying this is bizarre…