AppleInsider Staff
In a very recent change to its website, Apple removed Senior Vice President of Technologies Bob Mansfield's biography from the executive profiles webpage, suggesting the executive may no longer be with the company.
Update: According to a tweet by Reuters reporter Poornima Gupta, Apple has confirmed that Mansfield is no longer part of the company's executive team. He will continue to work on special projects under CEO Tim Cook.
As first noted by MacRumors on Sunday, Mansfield's bio no longer exists on Apple's profiles press page, or elsewhere on the site. While not definitive proof that Mansfield has left Apple, the move is curious, especially in light of the executive's recent history with the company.
After announcing his retirement in June 2012, Mansfield returned to Apple to work directly under CEO Tim Cook as head of all wireless and semiconductor teams. According to reports at the time, engineers who worked under the Apple veteran when he was SVP of hardware design were unhappy with his replacement, Dan Riccio.
Apple subsequently announced in August that Mansfield would be staying with the company in an unspecified capacity directly under Cook, a role that later turned into "SVP of Technologies." It was said that Cook offered an "exorbitant" salary of $2 million per month to retain Mansfield's services.
An official announcement regarding the matter has yet to be made, though we have reached out to Apple and will update upon receiving a reply.
Wesley Hilliard
Christine McKee
Marko Zivkovic
Malcolm Owen
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Andrew O'Hara
57 Comments
According to rumors Mansfield was working on the iWatch wearable device, in some capacity, after Tim brought him back. Maybe this means that the device is completed or at least nearing completion, and Tim is allowing him to leave now?
Wow very strange. Though thinking back on it I don't remember seeing him at WWDC. He wasn't sitting in the front row with the other SVPs.
[quote name="blackbook" url="/t/158749/apple-svp-bob-mansfields-bio-disappears-from-official-leadership-webpage#post_2369504"]According to rumors Mansfield was working on the iWatch wearable device, in some capacity, after Tim brought him back. Maybe this means that the device is completed or at least nearing completion, and Tim is allowing him to leave now?[/quote] Seems a bit odd though as they created that new position for him and Cook said he would be staying on an additional two years. :\
[quote name="Rogifan" url="/t/158749/apple-svp-bob-mansfields-bio-disappears-from-official-leadership-webpage#post_2369508"] Seems a bit odd though as they created that new position for him and Cook said he would be staying on an additional two years. :\[/quote] True. I guess it is strange for him to leave a whole year early? Now I'm hoping its just a mistake on the website.
[quote name="blackbook" url="/t/158749/apple-svp-bob-mansfields-bio-disappears-from-official-leadership-webpage#post_2369509"] True. I guess it is strange for him to leave a whole year early? Now I'm hoping its just a mistake on the website.[/quote] Yeah I hope it's not because he's become ill or worse, passed away. :\. His bio is still up on the non USA Apple websites.