|
Apple Computer and Steve Jobs have once again shown they know how to Think Different by naming Gap Inc. CEO, Millard Drexler, to Apple's Board. According to Apple:
Apple Computer Inc. Wednesday said it is expanding its board of directors to seven from six, and will name Millard Drexler, president and chief executive of clothing retailer Gap Inc. , to the new seat.
"(Drexler's) expertise in marketing and retail will be a tremendous resource as Apple continues to grow in the consumer market," said Steve Jobs, Apple's interim chief executive. "He will add a completely new dimension to Apple's board."
The computer maker's current board includes Apple co-founder Jobs, who is also chairman of PIXAR Animation Studios Inc.; Bill Campbell, chairman and former chief executive of Intuit Corp.; and Gareth Chang, executive chairman of STAR TV, the Asian satellite television unit of News Corp.
Other directors are Larry Ellison, chairman and CEO of database software maker Oracle Corp.; Ed Woolard, chairman and former CEO of E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Co.; and Jerry York, vice chairman of Tracinda and former chief financial officer of IBM and Chrysler, now DaimlerChrysler AG.
The Mac Observer Spin: Why is this Thinking Different? Mr. Drexler has nothing to do with the computer industry. This move by Apple foreshadows their eventual market position. Mr. Jobs understands that there is no future in being a computer company. This has been hinted at before when he has made statements along the lines that he wanted Apple to be the Sony of the computing world. Bringing Mr. Drexler on, a person who has proven to be a master consumer marketer, shows that Apple is far less concerned with being a computer company and far more concerned with continuing to transform Apple into a consumer/fashion/appliance/information/etc. company. As PC makers struggle with falling prices, shrinking margins, and the worthless products of yesterday, Apple continues to move into the world of tomorrow.
Now we can only hope that this move foreshadows an effort to fire Bill Campbell, chairman of Intuit. As we have seen of late, Intuit has shown that it is the only company besides Hewlett-Packard to prove inept at making money in the Mac market.
Apple
|