The Papermaster joins Apple as Senior Vice President of Devices Hardware Engineering

Well that mystery is solved.  Sort of.  The big brouhaha over IBM’s departing blade server director, Mark Papermaster who was going to join forces with the PA Semi people at Apple and take over the chip making world?

Nope.

He’s going to be in charge of Apple’s iPod® and iPhone™ hardware.  I guess that is more fun than blade servers.  It is strange that IBM is suing as Papermaster’s new role shouldn’t affect IBM at all.

It also marks the departure of Tony Fadell, "father of the iPod".

From Apple:

Mark Papermaster Joins Apple as Senior Vice President of Devices Hardware Engineering

CUPERTINO, California—November 4, 2008—Apple® today announced that Mark Papermaster is joining the Company as senior vice president of Devices Hardware Engineering, reporting to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Papermaster, who comes to Apple from IBM, will lead Apple’s iPod® and iPhone™ hardware engineering teams. Papermaster has 25 years of product and technology experience, and was previously a vice president at IBM.

Apple also announced that Tony Fadell, Apple’s senior vice president of the iPod Division, and his wife Danielle Lambert, vice president of Human Resources, are reducing their roles within the company as they devote more time to their young family. Fadell will remain at Apple as an advisor to the CEO. Lambert will depart the company at the end of this year after a successor is in place.

“Mark is a seasoned leader and is going to be an excellent addition to our senior management team,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Tony and Dani have each made important contributions to Apple over the past eight years. We’re sorry to see Dani go, and are looking forward to working with Tony in his new capacity.”

Papermaster has a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Texas, and Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Vermont in 1988. He is active with the University of Texas where he is a member of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Advisory Council.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

Press Contact:
Steve Dowling
Apple
dowling@apple.com
(408) 974-1896