Ondrej Holzman Bob Mansfield, senior vice president of development, is leaving Apple after 13 years. The California-based company made the announcement in a press release today. Mansfield will be replaced by Dan Riccio in the coming months.
The news of the end of Mansfield in the top management and the entire company comes unexpectedly. This will be a significant weakening for Apple, as Mansfield has been involved in all major products - Mac, iPhone, iPod and iPad - and the public may know him from some keynotes where he presented how new devices are developed.
Mansfield came to Cupertino in 1999 when Apple bought Raycer Graphics, where the University of Austin bachelor of engineering graduate served as vice president of development. At Apple, he then oversaw the development of computers and was involved in breakthrough products such as the MacBook Air and iMac, and he also played a part in the other products already mentioned. Since 2010, he has also led the development of iPhones and iPods, and since its inception, the iPad division.
"Bob has been a key part of our executive team, leading hardware development and overseeing a team that has delivered several breakthrough products over the past few years," commented on the departure of his long-time colleague Apple's chief executive, Tim Cook. "We are very sad to see him go and hope he enjoys every day of his retirement."
However, Mansfield's end will not happen overnight. The transformation in the company's top management will take several months, and the entire development team will continue to answer to Mansfield until he is finally replaced by Dan Riccio, the current vice president of iPad development. The change should occur within a few months.
"Dan has been one of Bob's key collaborators for a long time and is well-respected in his field both inside and outside of Apple." remarked Mansfield's successor, Tim Cook. Riccio has been with Apple since 1998, when he joined as vice president of product design and has a significant stake in the hardware in Apple products. He has been involved in the development of the iPad since its inception.
NJN Apple will now slowly begin to disintegrate until there is no one left from the original Top Management from the Jobs era and then this company will begin to die... Unfortunately ;( - But maybe they will discover a new star...
Mr. Ive still has a long way to go and it looks like Apple is educating everyone. Besides, no company has ever been in the limelight forever.
Yes, it wasn't meant so badly, on the other hand, Tim Cook, even if he doesn't have the same charisma as JOBS, he runs the company very well and it can be seen in the profits, however, it's all about these people from Top Management, luckily Ive doesn't look like He wanted to leave Apple, but if Ive and a few other people from Top Management drop out, Apple is on the brink.
People were leaving and I will be leaving. Under Jobs, it was also talents like Rubinstein, Fadell, Johnson...
But yes, if they have someone who can take over his work so that Bob can enjoy his retirement, he deserves it :-), he did a great job and created a number of amazing devices.
this is what so many managers told us at work... with a small bonus "yes, there are queues outside the gate" so my addition. "no one is irreplaceable and that's why I'm flying out today to play for Jagr's yard"