Former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts officially started her job as Apple's Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Stores on Friday. Apple CEO Tim Cook said she would start some time this week, and managed to follow through on that promise with hours to spare.
Apple announced Ms. Ahrendts would be the company's new retail VP last October with the promise that she would start her new job this spring after transitioning Christopher Baily in as Burberry's new CEO. She has been credited with turning around Burberry's success in the Asian market, and she will likely be tasked with improving Apple's position in countries like China, too.
When Apple announced the position created especially for her, the company said in a statement,
Ahrendts will have oversight of the strategic direction, expansion and operation of both Apple retail and online stores, which have redefined the shopping experience for hundreds of millions of customers around the world.
Apple had been without a retail vice president ever since John Browett was shown the door in 2012. He held the job for only a few months before CEO Tim Cook let him go amid controversy over changes in the company's retail stores.
Mr. Ahrendts became CEO of the fashion retailer Burberry in early 2006 only months after joining the company. Before that, she was an executive vice president at Liz Claiborne.
With just one day in her first work week, we aren't expecting to see any big changes in the company's retail division quite yet.