Apple Streamlines Retail Leadership with New Global VP Role [Report]

Apple is changing up its retail leadership structure, appointing a global head of stores to streamline operations under senior executive Deirdre O'Brien, according to a recent Bloomberg report citing sources familiar with the matter. The move signals a shift in how the tech giant manages its sprawling network of roughly 535 retail locations worldwide.

The company has tapped Vanessa Trigub for the newly created role of Vice President of Stores and Retail Operations globally. Trigub, who previously oversaw stores in the Americas West region while managing retail operations, will now supervise regional retail heads for Europe and the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Americas East. This promotion expands her oversight and simplifies the reporting structure under O'Brien, who continues to lead both retail and human resources.

With this change, O'Brien's direct reports are reduced. She'll now manage Trigub alongside vice presidents responsible for retail real estate, marketing, and online sales, rather than handling individual regional retail leaders. This comes as O'Brien also restructures the HR side of her portfolio, following the departure of former chief people officer Carol Surface, who left after less than two years.


Trigub's rise at Apple began as an intern around the 2007 iPhone launch. Over the years, she climbed through roles in finance, mergers and acquisitions, and retail operations, earning a vice president title in 2023. Her expanded responsibilities now position her as a key figure in Apple's retail strategy.

Apple's retail leadership has seen relative stability since O'Brien took charge in 2019, following Angela Ahrendts' tenure and John Browett's brief stint. Sources suggest Trigub could be a potential successor to O'Brien, a 30-year Apple veteran, as the company increasingly focuses on succession planning for its aging executive team.

This retail shift follows another recent management tweak. Last week, Apple reportedly reassigned Siri oversight from AI chief John Giannandrea to Mike Rockwell, the Vision Pro creator.

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