In the wake of several notable leadership changes that have recently reshaped Apple’s executive roster—including the retirement of former Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, the decision by longtime AI chief John Giannandrea to step down, and the high-profile departure of Alan Dye, Apple’s head of design, who has moved to Meta—the company has made yet another significant announcement. On Thursday, Apple revealed that Lisa Jackson, the company’s esteemed environmental and policy executive, will retire, and that Jennifer Newstead will assume the position of general counsel following the planned retirement of Kate Adams, who is expected to step down sometime in late 2025.
According to Apple, Jackson—who formally holds the title of Vice President for Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives—will conclude her tenure at the company in late January 2026. Her contributions over more than a decade have shaped Apple’s environmental sustainability goals and its public policy strategies. Meanwhile, Jennifer Newstead, currently serving as Meta’s Chief Legal Officer, will officially take on the role of Apple’s general counsel on March 1, 2026. This transition will mark the end of an eight-year chapter for current general counsel Kate Adams, who joined Apple in 2017 and has overseen the company’s legal and compliance functions through a period of substantial global expansion and regulatory scrutiny.
With Jackson’s retirement and Newstead’s arrival, the company is also implementing broader organizational adjustments designed to streamline leadership oversight and ensure continuity of governance. Responsibilities previously distributed among several divisions will be reallocated, with certain policy-oriented functions moving under the direction of Sabih Khan, who succeeded Jeff Williams as Chief Operating Officer. This realignment reflects Apple’s ongoing endeavor to integrate sustainability, social initiatives, and corporate operations more cohesively into its overall business strategy.
As Apple describes in its statement, the Government Affairs organization—previously rooted within Jackson’s wider policy domain—will transition under the supervision of Kate Adams. Adams will oversee this team until her departure late next year, after which Newstead will assume leadership of Government Affairs in addition to her primary legal responsibilities. Upon her appointment, Newstead’s title will be elevated to Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Government Affairs, signifying the formal combination of these two interrelated divisions. Meanwhile, the Environment and Social Initiatives teams, which have historically reported to Jackson, will begin reporting directly to COO Sabih Khan, thereby reinforcing the operational integration of Apple’s sustainability endeavors within its core management infrastructure.
Lisa Jackson’s professional trajectory, both before and during her time at Apple, highlights her deep-rooted expertise in environmental governance. Prior to joining Apple in 2013, she led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for part of President Barack Obama’s administration, guiding national efforts in environmental protection and regulatory reform. At Apple, her role evolved steadily—she was promoted in 2015 to oversee the company’s environmental policy and social initiatives, where she became a driving force behind Apple’s ambitious climate commitments, supply chain transparency, and renewable energy projects.
Kate Adams, who will retire after nearly a decade of service at Apple, brought extensive corporate legal experience from her fourteen-year tenure at Honeywell before joining the technology giant in 2017. Her steady leadership has been instrumental in navigating Apple through complex international legal landscapes and emerging technology regulations. As Apple prepares for these upcoming transitions, the company enters a new phase that blends continuity with renewal—reinforcing its institutional stability while incorporating fresh leadership perspectives from accomplished figures like Jennifer Newstead.
Taken together, these executive changes represent more than simple personnel movements; they suggest a strategic recalibration within Apple’s upper management. By uniting legal and governmental affairs under one senior leader and embedding social and environmental programs within its operational framework, Apple is signaling an intent to strengthen internal coordination while maintaining a commitment to its core values of innovation, corporate responsibility, and policy leadership. The departing executives leave a legacy of achievement, and their successors inherit the responsibility of guiding Apple through an evolving technological, environmental, and regulatory landscape that will define the next chapter of the company’s global influence.
Sourse: https://www.theverge.com/news/838712/apple-policy-lead-lisa-jackson-retiring
