Ondrej Holzman Apple, these are iPhones, iPads, iMacs and many other products that are sold by the millions around the world and customers stand in long queues for them. However, none of this would work if Jeff Williams, the man running strategic operations and Tim Cook's successor as chief operating officer, was not behind all the action.
Jeff Williams isn't talked about much, but we can almost be sure that Apple wouldn't work without him. His position is the same as Tim Cook's position was essential during the reign of Steve Jobs. In short, a person who makes sure that products are made on time, transported to their destination on time, and delivered to eager customers on time.
After Tim Cook's move to the highest post in the Californian company's headquarters, a new chief operating officer had to be chosen, who usually takes care of the day-to-day operation of the company and solves various strategic issues, and the choice clearly fell on Jeff Williams, one of Tim Cook's most trusted collaborators. The 49-year-old Williams now has under his thumb practically everything in which Cook excelled so much. He manages Apple's vast supply chain, overseeing the manufacturing of products in China, negotiating terms with suppliers and making sure devices get where they need to go, on time and in good order. With all this, they try to keep costs to a minimum while maintaining quality.
In addition, Jeff Williams is very similar to Tim Cook. Both are passionate cyclists and both are very nice and relatively reserved guys that you don't hear about very often. That is, of course, provided that they do not become the head of the entire company, as happened to Tim Cook. However, Williams' character is confirmed by the words of some Apple employees, who say that despite his high position (and certainly a decent salary), Williams continues to drive a battered Toyota with a broken door on the passenger seat, but emphasize that he is a direct and prudent person and a good mentor, who can easily solve problems with employees by showing them what and how to do things differently.
At North Carolina State University, Williams majored in mechanical engineering and gained significant experience in the Creative Leadership Training Program in Greensboro. During the week, he explored his strengths, weaknesses and interactions with others, and the program left such an impression on him that he now sends middle managers from Apple to such courses. After his studies, Williams started working at IBM and earned an MBA in the evening program at the well-known Duke University, the same path Tim Cook also took, by the way. However, the two senior Apple executives did not meet during their studies. In 1998, Williams came to Apple as head of worldwide supply.
"What you see is what you get, Jeff" says Gerald Hawkins, Williams' friend and former coach. "And if he says he's going to do something, he's going to do it."
During his 14-year career in Cupertino, Williams has done a lot for Apple. However, everything happened behind closed doors, in silence, on the side of the media. Often these were various business meetings where lucrative deals were negotiated, which of course no one lets the public know. For example, Williams was instrumental in the deal with Hynix, which supplied Apple with flash memory that helped introduce the nano, for more than a billion dollars. According to Steve Doyle, a former Apple employee who worked with Williams, the company's current COO was also instrumental in simplifying the delivery process, which allowed for the current state of product sales, where users order an iPod online, have something engraved on it, and during they have the device on the table within three working days.
These are the things Tim Cook excelled at, and Jeff Williams is clearly following suit.
Nice article. I like the articles about Apple personalities that you publish here on Jablíčkář.. Keep it up.
+1
Well, he doesn't know, but there are problems with the vans, and the fact that he has a battered Toyota is nice, but on the other hand, it also says something. Otherwise, quite a nice guy.
I own an apple product but this looks like an i-sheep! I'm sorry, but Tim Cook is an insensitive and unsympathetic patron who uses superlatives, is focused on speeches, but born from Jobs looks unimpressive and artificial. Philip Shiller saves it at the keynotes, so I hope that someone more capable will be found, perhaps Jeff.