title.Apple Announces the Departures of Lisa Jackson and Kate Adams

Apple’s general counsel, Kate Adams, and its vice president for environment, policy and social initiatives, Lisa Jackson, are retiring, the iPhone maker announced on Thursday.

Jennifer Newstead, Meta’s chief legal officer, will become Apple’s new general counsel in March, and Jackson’s government‑affairs staff will report to her starting late next year, Apple said.

The two executives, both reporting directly to CEO Tim Cook, are the latest senior leaders to exit the company. In recent weeks, Apple’s head software designer announced a move to Meta, while the firm also confirmed the retirement of its AI chief and a transition in the chief operating officer role.

Adams joined Apple from Honeywell and became general counsel in 2017. During her tenure she oversaw litigation, global security and privacy initiatives while navigating an escalating wave of antitrust scrutiny worldwide, including high‑profile U.S. lawsuits targeting the App Store’s fee structure and its impact on competition.

Jackson came to Apple in 2013 after a four‑year stint as administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a role appointed by President Barack Obama. At Apple she has led diversity programs, climate‑change strategy and the company’s broader policy agenda in Washington, D.C.

Jackson’s focus on social justice and renewable energy faced a tougher political climate during the second Trump administration, which openly challenged diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and rolled back environmental regulations. Apple, meanwhile, confronted higher tariffs and engaged in multiple meetings with the White House to promote its “Made in USA” manufacturing narrative.

Jackson was a driving force behind Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative launched after the 2020 murder of George Floyd. The program has since expanded to the United Kingdom, Mexico and New Zealand, delivering scholarships, community investments and policy advocacy aimed at reducing systemic inequities.

In a 2023 impact report, Jackson wrote, “At Apple, we pledge that our resolve will not fade. We won’t delay action. We will work, each and every day, on the urgent task of advancing equity.”

On the environmental front, Jackson’s mandate included cutting greenhouse‑gas emissions, protecting air and water quality, reducing exposure to toxic substances and engaging communities on sustainability issues. She routinely highlighted Apple’s carbon‑neutral goals at major product launches.

Newstead, who will assume the top legal role at Apple, has overseen Meta’s legal and regulatory matters for its family of apps—including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp—since 2019. Prior to Meta, she served as a Trump‑appointed legal advisor at the State Department, a partner at Davis Polk & Wardwell, and general counsel of the White House Office of Management and Budget.

What the Leadership Shuffle Means for Apple

Apple’s legal and policy teams sit at the intersection of technology, regulation and global supply‑chain risk. Adams’ departure comes at a time when lawmakers in the United States, Europe and Asia are tightening rules on digital marketplaces, privacy and artificial intelligence. Newstead’s experience navigating Meta’s antitrust battles and data‑privacy scrutiny suggests Apple may adopt a more aggressive defensive posture in ongoing investigations, while still leveraging its deep‑pocketed resources to negotiate settlements.

Jackson’s exit could raise questions about the company’s ESG momentum, but her legacy—particularly the Racial Equity and Justice Initiative and the ambitious carbon‑neutral roadmap—has been institutionalized across multiple business units. By shifting her government‑affairs staff under the new general counsel, Apple is likely to align legal strategy more closely with its broader public‑policy agenda, streamlining coordination on issues ranging from chip‑export controls to renewable‑energy incentives.

From a technology‑investment perspective, Apple’s AI ambitions remain strong despite the recent departure of its AI chief. A unified legal‑policy function may accelerate the rollout of responsible‑AI frameworks, ensuring compliance with emerging standards such as the EU’s AI Act while preserving the company’s commitment to on‑device processing and user privacy.

Overall, the leadership changes position Apple to confront heightened regulatory pressure with a more integrated legal‑policy apparatus, while preserving the environmental and social initiatives that have become core to its brand narrative. Stakeholders will be watching closely to see how the new counsel balances the demands of antitrust enforcement with Apple’s long‑term innovation roadmap.