Apple’s first-ever ‘Chief People Officer’ departing after less than two years – 9to5Mac

Another shakeup is on its way to Apple’s executive team. Bloomberg reports today that Carol Surface, Apple’s Chief People Officer, is departing the company. Surface joined Apple less than two years ago in March 2023.

Surface was Apple’s first-ever Chief People Officer, reporting directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Surface took over those responsibilities from Deirdre O’Brien, who served as Apple’s senior vice president of Retail + People from 2019 through March 2023. When Surface started at the company, Apple dropped the human resources responsibilities from O’Brien’s role, allowing her to focus full-time on retail.

In her Chief People Officer role, Surface was tasked with overseeing talent development and Apple University, recruiting, employee relations and experience, benefits, compensation, and inclusion and diversity.

Bloomberg notes that with Surface’s departure, O’Brien, a 30-year Apple veteran, will once again take the reins on manning both the retail and people teams at Apple.

Prior to joining Apple, Surface had a 10-year stint at the medical device company Medtronic as an executive vice president in charge of human resources. She also spent three and a half years in that same role at Best Buy as well as over a decade in human resources and personnel at PepsiCo.

Surface’s departure is the latest in a string of executive changes at Apple: