Apple has confirmed the retirement of two senior executives, general counsel Kate Adams and vice president for Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives Lisa Jackson, extending a series of leadership changes that has reshaped the company’s executive ranks in recent months.
Legal leadership transition scheduled for 2026
Adams, who has served as Apple’s general counsel since 2017, will retire late next year. Apple said Jennifer Newstead will take over the role on 1 March 2026 after a transition period in which duties will be transferred from Adams. Newstead will report directly to chief executive Tim Cook.
Newstead is joining Apple from Meta, where she served as chief legal officer. Before that, she was legal adviser to the U.S. Department of State, leading the team that advised the secretary of state on legal matters related to U.S. foreign relations.
Her previous roles in government include general counsel of the White House Office of Management and Budget, principal deputy assistant attorney general in the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Policy, associate White House counsel, and law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.
Cook said Newstead will oversee both Apple’s Legal and Government Affairs organizations. He said she brings deep experience and skill to the role and will support Apple’s legal and regulatory work globally.
During Adams’ tenure, Apple navigated heightened antitrust scrutiny and multiple lawsuits, much of it centered on competition in the app marketplace.
Environmental and policy leadership exit tied to long-term initiatives
Jackson, who joined Apple in 2013 after serving at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will retire in late January 2026. She has overseen Apple’s climate, sustainability, environmental impact, and diversity-focused programs, including the company’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative.
Cook said Jackson played a central role in Apple’s environmental progress and government engagement. He said the company has reduced its global greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60% compared with 2015 levels during her time on the executive team.
Her portfolio included policy advocacy affecting education, accessibility, privacy, and security. Some of the diversity and environmental initiatives she managed have come under pressure across corporate America under the Trump administration.
Broader leadership changes across Apple
The retirements follow a series of executive shifts. Apple announced earlier this year that chief operating officer Jeff Williams will step down, with his responsibilities moving to Sabih Khan, formerly senior vice president of operations.
The company has also reorganized its AI leadership. John Giannandrea departed his role as AI chief, and Apple appointed Mike Rockwell, previously vice president of the Vision Products Group, to lead the Siri team.
Apple also lost several senior AI executives to Meta. Ke Yang, who led Apple’s work on AI-driven web search, left for Meta, as did Ruoming Pang, the former head of Apple’s AI models. Design executive Alan Dye, who led user interface design at Apple for a decade, also recently departed to join Meta.
Strategy pressures amid AI delays and design criticism
The leadership changes come as Apple faces scrutiny over its delayed rollout of an AI-powered version of Siri. The new system is now expected to rely on Google’s models under the hood.
The company has also faced criticism from designers over a perceived decline in attention to interface and interaction detail. According to a report from Daring Fireball, some Apple employees welcomed Dye’s departure, citing support for his replacement, Stephen Lemay, a long-time interface and interaction designer.
Featured image credits: PxHere
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