Apple’s Chief Privacy Officer is reportedly leaving Cupertino. Although still unannounced, Apple’s top privacy officer will be joining a law firm. She’s vacating a high-profile position that is essential for Apple’s current business strategy.
Chief Privacy Officer Serves as Apple’s Privacy Face
Bloomberg reported that Jane Horvath, Apple’s current Chief Privacy Officer will be joining Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Horvath joined Apple in 2011 and took the title of chief privacy officer last year. The report said she has already informed Apple’s legal department in an internal memo not yet released to the public.
As Apple’s Chief Privacy Officer, Hovarth worked with Tim Cook to promote the company’s safeguards. Cupertino has been advocating privacy-related features such as on-device processing and web tracking prevention and stricter app advertising policies. The latter has been the subject of various controversies.
Jane Horvath’s Major Accomplishment
Horvath also represented Apple in dealings with trade groups and Capitol Hill. In the European Union, she made sure that Apple complied with privacy rules including GDPR, or General Data Protection Regulation. Horvath also happens to be one of the few Apple executives to hold a “chief officer” title. The chief officer group in Apple includes the chief compliance officer, chief operating officer, and chief financial officer.
Before taking her role as Apple’s Chief Privacy Officer, Horvath served as the company’s senior director of global policy. She became popular in the company after Apple clashed with the FBI. This happened in 2016 when the FBI wanted to unlock a shooting suspect’s iPhone. Apple declined to do, so citing the fact that it might create a backdoor that would eventually undermine the iPhone’s security. The FBI eventually unlocked the iPhone without Apple’s help.
As mentioned, Horvath is set to join Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher. Incidentally, the law firm recently handled Apple’s legal efforts in the case against Epic Games.
As of this writing, Apple has not issued a statement regarding Horvath’s supposed departure.