Chief People Officer leaves Apple after short 20 month tenure

Carol Surface joined Apple in early 2023 as the new Chief People Officer, but she is set to depart the role after less than two years on the job.

Chief People Officer is a role that was created by taking the human resources department originally under Deirdre O'Brien and forming its own unit. O'Brien had been senior vice president of People and Retail since 2019 until the role split.

According to report from Bloomberg, Carol Surface is departing Apple and the responsibilities Chief People Officer will once again fall under Deirdre O'Brien. The reason for the quick turnaround in the position is unknown.

Apple has seen several significant executive departures in recent years as long-time employees reach retirement. CFO Luca Maestri departs at the end of 2024, and Dan Riccio will soon retire as well.

While retiring after over 20 years at Apple is one thing, leaving after 20 months is another. Apple could have realized it didn't need the position, or Surface could be leaving for better prospects — there's no way of knowing without an official statement.