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Tim Cook

Everything you need to know about Apple's CEO

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Tim Cook was appointed CEO in 2011 when Steve Jobs stepped away from the company as his health worsened. Cook was handpicked by Jobs to be his replacement, having served as a close friend of Jobs during their entire career together.

A graduate of Auburn University with a degree in industrial engineering, Cook earned his Masters from Duke University’s School of business. Prior to joining Apple, Cook spent 12 years at IBM, then served as the Chief Operating Officer of Intelligent Electronics. He then had a short stint at Compaq.

Cook first joined Apple in 1998 after being recruited by Jobs. Cook remarked in a commencement address at Auburn University that, five minutes into his interview with Jobs, he knew he wanted to join Apple. “My intuition already knew that joining Apple was a once in a lifetime opportunity to work for the creative genius,” he remarked.

At Apple, Cook started out as senior vice president of worldwide operating. He served as interim CEO in 2009 while Steve Jobs was on medical leave. In 2011, Cook again stepped in to lead day-to-day operations while Jobs was ill, before ultimately being named CEO permanently just before the death of Jobs.

Cook has been very outspoken on a variety of social issues, including the need to protect user data and privacy, as evident by his vocal refusal to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino gunmen. Cook has also voiced his displeasure with controversial legislation that enables LGBT discrimination in a handful of states in the United States. Likewise, Cook has frequently called on the United States Congress to pass LGBT protection legislation. He became the first openly gay CEO of a Fortune 500 company in 2014, as well. Cook has led Apple in the San Francisco Pride Parade in recent years.

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Tim Cook in Ireland to collect award, says global corporate tax reform needed

Tim Cook in Ireland

Tim Cook is in Ireland to receive an award in recognition of Apple’s 40 years of investment in Ireland. Apple’s CEO is set to collect that award from prime minister Leo Varadkar.

While there, Cook indirectly addressed criticism of Apple’s use of Ireland as its European HQ in order to reduce its tax bill in Europe…


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[Update: 2019 Apple exec compensation, more] Tim Cook donates $2 million worth of AAPL shares to undisclosed charity

Do Apple products warrant their premium price?

According to a new Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Apple CEO Tim Cook donated over 6,000 shares of AAPL to an undisclosed charity last week. Those shares, based on the closing price of Apple stock on that day, are valued at nearly $2 million.

Apple also shared its 2019 proxy filing with the SEC revealing executive compensation, spending on private air travel, security, Apple’s median salary, the 2020 shareholder meeting date, and more.


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Apple under fire for failing to correct Trump’s claim about ‘new’ Mac plant

Trump claims credit for new Mac plant operating since 2013

We noted yesterday President Trump’s claim to have ‘opened’ a ‘new’ Mac plant that has in fact been operating since 2013. Apple is today coming under fire for failing to correct that lie.

More broadly, it is being suggested that Cook was willing to be used as an electioneering prop by Trump in his attempts to win concessions on import tariffs on Apple products coming from China…


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Tim Cook’s diplomacy in dealing with White House and China key to stock price

apple Tim Cook's diplomacy praised

Tim Cook’s diplomacy in dealing with both the White House and China has reportedly been key to investor confidence, playing a significant role in the current share price.

Cook has had to tread a careful path in trying to calm the Trump administration while also aiming to persuade the Chinese government not to exact revenge on Apple for US government policies…


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Apple under fire from AOC and Ted Cruz for censoring App Store in China

Apple faces antitrust worries

Apple’s relationship with China has become trickier than ever this month as it banned an app that was used by protesters in Hong Kong, then allowed it again, only to ban it the next week. Now US lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook criticizing the company of censorship and asking it to put “values above market access.”


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AAPL Jony Ive Tim Cook

Upcoming book to explore Apple’s pivots and product launches under Tim Cook

The Wall Street Journal’s Tripp Mickle is working on a book that will focus on the last decade at Apple without Steve Jobs. It will dive into how some of the products like Apple Watch and more came to be that have launched under Tim Cook and Jony Ive’s leadership and the company’s shift to Services.


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Hong Kong app: Lawmaker asks Tim Cook to prioritize ‘values over profits’

Hong Kong app is for safety, says council member

The controversy continues over the Hong Kong app which identifies protest hotspots. A lawmaker and tech entrepreneur has now accused Apple of being ‘an accomplice for Chinese censorship and oppression.’

Apple first banned, then allowed, then again banned the HKmap app, which shows map locations with a heavy police presence…


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Congress wants Tim Cook’s emails for investigation over App Store monopoly concerns

Apple faces antitrust worries

Congress has asked Apple along with Amazon, Facebook, and Alphabet for emails and other communications between executives as it continues its antitrust investigation into the major tech companies. In Apple’s case, Congress wants to look over Tim Cook and other leaders’ emails and more as evidence relating to the company removing third-party Screen Time apps, its App Store algorithm, and potential efforts to Sherlock apps.


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Tim Cook mourns the passing of ‘father of GDPR’ Giovanni Buttarelli

Giovanni Buttarelli with Tim Cook

Apple CEO Tim Cook has written a piece for Italy’s most popular newspaper, mourning the passing of Europe’s head of data protection, Giovanni Buttarelli.

Buttarelli took the lead on the introduction of the world’s toughest privacy regulations, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). GDPR requirements are so stringent that even Apple had to boost its privacy efforts in order to comply …


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