Reports indicate that Tony Blevins, Apple’s vice president of procurement, will be departing the company after making crude comments about his profession within a recent TikTok video.
This new arrives in thanks to Bloomberg.
Apple’s VP of Procurement Tony Blevins Departs After TikTok Comments
The video was originally posted by TikTok creator Daniel Mac, who was creating a series focusing on people who drive expensive cars and what they do for a living. Blevins was spotted driving a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. When asked what Blevins does for a living, he responded with a crass comment.
According to Bloomberg,
When asked what he does for a living, Blevins said, “I have rich cars, play golf and fondle big-breasted women, but I take weekends and major holidays off.” He also touted that he has a “hell of a dental plan.” […]
The TikTok video was taken at a car show that Blevins attended last month in Pebble Beach, California. His remarks in the 25-second clip reference a line from the 1981 movie Arthur, where main character Arthur Bach describes his own career: “I race cars, play tennis and fondle women, but I have weekends off and I am my own boss.”
Prior to the video, Blevins was a high-ranking executive at Apple, serving as the company’s Vice President of procurement. Blevins’ role in the company was to work with both Apple suppliers and partners. Blevins was part of a team responsible for inking a deal with Globalstar for Apple’s iPhone 14 satellite functionality. He is also known for negotiating aggressively with Apple suppliers in order to drive down Apple’s costs.
According to a 2020 Wall Street Journal profile, Blevins earned the nickname “The Blevinator” due to his tough stance on negotiations. Additionally, reports suggest that Blevins is also responsible for encouraging Apple suppliers to deprive Qualcomm of royalty payments during the Qualcomm v. Apple dispute. Sources also indicate that Blevins was personally tapped by Tim Cook to manage negotiations for the Apple Park campus.
After learning about the TikTok video, Apple held an internal investigation. Blevins was then removed from his team of several hundred employees. In an interview with Bloomberg, Blevins expressed regret for his actions. Blevins stated, “I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to anyone who was offended by my mistaken attempt at humor”.
Additionally, an Apple spokesperson did confirm that Blevins is leaving the company. The decision came from Apple’s senior Vice President of operations, Jeff Williams, who will now be overseeing Blevins’ team.
The man was with his wife and made a joke about large breasted women. He’s British. It’s part of the culture to make obviously ironic jokes. If Apple employees have to look over their shoulder before they can say anything, it will be a sad day for the company. This man was talented and was taken down by the woke equivalent of the Taliban at Apple. Tim Cook would have given his blessing for this firing.
Having been an Apple user for decades, I’m seriously reconsidering my use of their products.
Nick:
It is passing strange that, world-over, powerful and privileged men seem impervious to the plight of men of similar status who behave boorishly, and utterly inert to social signalling that the days of unfettered off-colour, demeaning and otherwise insulting comments and behaviours previously aired only amongst the initiated few, in an age of pan-visibility, are over. Assume, in the age of social media, that the entire planet will eventually not only see and hear all, but will pass unforgiving judgement on deprecation of ‘the other’.
It’s well passed time to read the bloody room.
This will be Apple’s loss rather than Mr. Blevins’. He’s a talented man and will be employed elsewhere quickly I would imagine. No doubt Apple will have driven away other able people by this phoney virtue signalling. It might be time to short the stock if this puritanical nonsense continues.
I’m very sorry, but it doesn’t matter if he’s British, American, or any other nationality.
Mr. Blevins wasn’t a clerk in accounting, or an intern in software QA. He is, or was, a VICE PRESIDENT – an officer of the company. Company officers, whether they (or you) like it or not, represent the company for which they work 7 x 24 x 365. If you’re in that position, you don’t do anything – ANYTHING – that could give offense without being prepared to answer for it.
There are no excuses for this behavior from a company officer.
Ever.
I’m glad that Apple turfed him out immediately – and I’ve been using Apple gear since 1987. Such behavior is completely uncalled for.