Burberry’s Angela Ahrendts makes a smart move to Apple

“Angela Ahrendts’ new job as head of Apple retail is her first gig outside of fashion. Given the Burberry CEO’s digital knowhow and Apple’s move toward wearable technology, it’s a natural fit,” Patricia Sellers writes for Fortune. “In recruiting Burberry (BURBY) CEO Angela Ahrendts to head its retail and online unit, Apple (AAPL) is acquiring a design fanatic, a digital evangelist, and a master of millennial marketing.”

“The move looks to be a win for Apple and a loss for the once-stuffy British luxury retailer, which has transformed remarkably since Ahrendts took charge in 2006,” Sellers writes. “Building on a turnaround set off by her predecessor Rose Marie Bravo, Ahrendts has expanded Burberry into a hip brand globally and has more than tripled the company’s stock-market value to $11.3 billion”

“Apple’s $18.8 billion retail operation is six times the size of Burberry. And in her new job, Ahrendts will be contending with the challenges of rapid growth and how to keep it going,” Sellers writes. “Samsung and Microsoft have been encroaching on Apple’s retail dominance. [Pfft. – MDN Ed.] Meantime, Apple has struggled in China — a critical growth market where Burberry has scored big.”

Read more in the full article here.

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