TechCrunch reports that Denise Young Smith (pictured), Apple’s vice president of diversity and inclusion will leave at the end of 2017. No reason was given for her departure; evidently, it’s a career choice change she’s made.
Smith was the first person to hold that title and started in the role this past May. Since joining Apple in 1997, she served in several key human resources (HR) roles. For over 10 years, she sat on the leadership team that built Apple’s retail organization. Before retail, Smith ran HR for Apple’s Worldwide Operations and Corporate Employee Relations teams.
Before working at Apple, Smith offered talent, HR and management consulting expertise to early-stage businesses including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers portfolio companies.
Christie Smith (no relation) will become Apple’s new VP of diversity, according to TechCrunch. spent 17 years as a principal at Deloitte and has focused on talent management, organizational design, inclusion, diversity and people solutions. At Apple, she’ll report to Deidre O’Brien, Apple vice president for People.
