Apple’s general counsel, Kate Adams, along with vice president for environment, policy, and social initiatives, Lisa Jackson, will be leaving the company, as announced by the iPhone manufacturer on Thursday.
Jennifer Newstead, Meta’s chief legal officer, will take over as Apple’s new general counsel in March, with Jackson’s government affairs team reporting to her starting late next year, Apple revealed.
The two leaders, both of whom reported directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook, represent a continuing trend of senior leadership departures from the company. Recently, Apple’s lead software designer announced his departure to join Meta, while Apple confirmed that its AI head was retiring, alongside its chief operating officer.
Adams joined Apple from Honeywell and took on the role of general counsel in 2017, overseeing issues related to litigation, global security, and the company’s privacy strategies. During Adams’ tenure, Apple faced mounting antitrust scrutiny and regulatory challenges globally, including significant lawsuits in the U.S. concerning the iPhone App Store’s restrictions and charges.
Jackson joined Apple in 2013, leading the company’s diversity initiatives and much of its policy work in Washington, D.C. Previously, she served a four-year term as the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a position appointed by President Barack Obama.
With her focus on areas such as social justice and renewable energy, Jackson’s role diminished during the second Trump administration, which has openly criticized diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and criticized efforts to address climate change.
Apple has encountered rising tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, with Cook having met with President Donald Trump multiple times to promote the company’s American manufacturing ambitions as part of an effort to sway policy.
Jackson played a key role in Apple’s launch of its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative after the 2020 murder of George Floyd. She subsequently contributed to the expansion of the company’s equity and justice programs in other nations, including the U.K., Mexico, and New Zealand, according to a report released in 2023.
“At Apple, we promise that our commitment will not wane,” Jackson stated in a segment of that report. “We will not postpone action. We are dedicated to advancing equity every single day.”
Jackson also contributed to enhancing Apple’s environmental reputation. Her role “emphasized reducing greenhouse gas emissions, maintaining air and water standards, preventing toxic contamination, and augmenting outreach to communities regarding environmental topics,” as noted in her biography on the company’s site. She highlighted Apple’s goals to achieve carbon neutrality at iPhone launch presentations.
Jackson accompanied Cook to various official events in Washington, including state dinners.
Newstead, who will ascend to the role of Apple’s chief legal officer, has overseen Meta’s legal and regulatory affairs concerning its suite of apps such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp since 2019. A spokesperson for Meta indicated that Newstead will remain until the year’s end and that the company is in the process of finding her successor.
Before joining Meta, Newstead was a legal advisor appointed by Trump at the State Department during his initial administration in 2019.
Earlier in her career, she was a partner at Davis Polk & Wardwell and served as general counsel for the White House Office of Management and Budget, among other roles within the U.S. government.
