“Katie Cotton, who as VP of worldwide corporate communications at Apple has helped steward the announcement of some of tech’s most transformative products, is retiring,” John Paczkowski reports for Re/code.
“During her nearly two decades at Apple, Cotton served as gatekeeper to company co-founder Steve Jobs and current CEO Tim Cook, and guided the media narrative around pretty much everything from the iMac to the iPad,” Paczkowski reports. “Her departure from Apple is a milestone. ‘Katie has given her all to this company for over 18 years,’ Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said in a statement. ‘She has wanted to spend time with her children for some time now. We are really going to miss her.'”
Paczkowski reports, “Reached for comment, Cotton told Code/red her decision to leave Apple was among the most difficult of her career. ‘This is hard for me,’ she said. ‘Apple is a part of my heart and soul.'”
Read more in the full article here.
Jacob Kastrenakes reports for The Verge, “A person familiar with the structure of Apple’s public relations group tells us that likely replacements include Steve Dowling and Natalie Kerris, both of who have been with Apple for over a decade and throughout its ascent to a leading tech company.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Fittingly, Katie has just set the new record for longest Apple spokesperson statement to the media. “Stunning!” 😉
Congrats and good luck in your future endeavors, Katie!
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Bill” for the heads up.]
A job where you say “no comment” to people all day long, where can I get a job like that?
All kidding aside, it’s nice to see someone who REALLY DOES want to spend more time with their family. 😉
North American sales led by Zane Rowe, who is leaving the company, and worldwide corporate communications led by Katie Cotton are two of the weakest pieces of Apple Corporation. I don’t think either one is just a coincidence, or just the natural business cycle. Looks like Tim Cook is looking to shore up those areas. If the former CFO of an airline company had anything to do with retail sales and Apple stores over the last two years, then I now understand why the customer experience has been a little off lately. Worldwide public relations at Apple have not been handled very well at times. Cook’s moves look to be a good thing for Apple. It looks like maybe he’s finally taken the reins and make this company his own.
Katie Cotton was not let go. Shawn King, who writes for Jim Darymple’s site knows Cotton personally and said she was NOT asked to leave; she really is retiring.
Well, then that’s a happy circumstance, because Apple has had several lapses in the PR area lately.