Al Gore and James Bell will leave Apple's board of directors; Wanda Austin will join

2024-01-11 21:58:24

In a statement recently releaseda Apple announced that the Dra. Wanda Austinformer president and CEO¹ and The Aerospace Corporationwill join the company’s board of directors.

Apple highlighted Austin’s responsibilities, such as the fact that she led an organization dedicated to supporting the United States’ space program and creating opportunities for the future. She was the first African-American woman to hold the corporation’s leadership position.

Wanda has spent decades advancing technology on behalf of humanity, and we’re thrilled to welcome her to Apple’s board of directors. She is an extraordinary leader and her invaluable experience and knowledge will support our mission to leave the world better than we found it.

—Tim CookCEO at Apple.

Those who also commented on Austin’s arrival were Arthur Levinsonchairman of the board of directors at Apple:

Wanda has long been a leader in unlocking the potential of cutting-edge technology. She brings insights and incredible experiences to our board and will play an important role in helping Apple continue to enrich the lives of users around the world.

Here’s what Austin had to say about his new assignment:

Like Apple, I’ve always believed in the power of innovation to improve lives, support human potential and shape a better future. I’m honored to join Apple’s board of directors and look forward to being part of a company that is always creating new ways to empower people around the world.

Apple’s board of directors has a long-standing policy that board members generally cannot run for re-election after reaching age 75. As a result, Al Gore (former vice president of the USA), who has served since 2003, and James Bell (former CEO of Boeing), who joined in 2015, will retire this year.

We are deeply grateful to Al and James for their many years of service to Apple — their ideas, energy and values have made us a stronger company in many ways. For more than 20 years, Al has contributed greatly to our work — from his unwavering support for protecting our users’ privacy to his unparalleled knowledge of environmental and climate issues. James’s dedication has been extraordinary and we are grateful for the important perspectives and deep knowledge he has provided on auditing, finance and more over the years.

—Tim Cook.

About a year ago, it’s worth remembering, a non-profit group wanted to force Al’s departure from Apple’s board — and not just him, but Cook himself — due to alleged abuses.