Apple Loses Top Black Executive As Lisa Jackson Retires
Apple is undergoing its biggest leadership upheaval since the death of cofounder Steve Jobs, as a cluster of top executives head for the exits. Among them is Lisa Jackson, the company’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, and one of the most visible Black women in Silicon Valley.
On December 4, Apple announced that Jackson will retire in late January 2026, marking the end of more than a decade at Apple, which helped shape the company’s climate agenda and its public commitments to racial equity.
Lisa Jackson’s Departure
Apple will not replace Jackson with a direct successor. Instead, her responsibilities are being split: Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan will oversee environmental and social initiatives, while Government Affairs will move under the legal organization.
Jennifer Newstead, currently Meta’s chief legal officer, will join Apple as senior vice president and general counsel in January 2026 and assume oversight of Government Affairs. She will replace Kate Adams, who will retire in late 2026 and temporarily manage Government Affairs during the transition.
Jackson’s exit also leaves a noticeable gap in representation. Apple’s workforce is 9% Black or African American, and Jackson has long been one of the company’s most senior Black executives.
A Legacy Of Climate Action And Social Justice
Jackson joined Apple in 2013 after serving as the first Black woman to lead the US Environmental Protection Agency under President Barack Obama. She quickly became one of tech’s most influential voices on climate responsibility, championing renewable energy adoption, circular design principles, sustainable materials, and supply-chain transparency.
“I am deeply appreciative of Lisa’s contributions,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement. “She has been instrumental in helping us reduce our global greenhouse emissions by more than 60 percent compared to 2015 levels.” He also praised her role in advancing core values around education, accessibility, privacy, and security.
She also oversaw Apple’s $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI), launched in 2020. Many of these DEI-aligned efforts, once central to Apple’s public narrative, have faced headwinds as major corporations pull back under the Trump administration.
Apple faces a string of departures
The news of Jackson’s departure adds to a growing list of senior leaders in AI, design, and legal who have recently resigned or announced plans to leave.
Apple announced that John Giannandrea, Apple’s senior AI executive, will retire in spring 2026 and will be succeeded by Amar Subramanya, who brings experience from Google and Microsoft. Last week, Bloomberg reported that Alan Dye, who had led user interface design since 2015, was poached by Meta in a significant blow to Apple’s design leadership.
The wave of departures has raised questions about Apple’s strategic direction as competitors accelerate their AI development efforts.
