Ceo Leaves Burberry for Apple Retail Role

Angela Ahrendts, ceo of Burberry Group Plc (London), has joined Apple Inc. (Cupertino, Calif.) as a member of its executive team, according to CNNMoney.

Apple said Ahrendts would serve in a newly created role as senior vp overseeing the strategy and operation of its retail and online stores, beginning in the spring of 2014.

Christopher Bailey, currently Burberry’s chief creative officer, will add ceo to his title.

Last year, Apple fired its retail executive John Browett, after publicly apologizing for Browett’s plan to cut back on staffing in its stores. Browett had replaced Ron Johnson, who left the company in 2011 to run JCPenney Co. Inc. (Plano, Texas).

This summer, Apple first dipped into the fashion industry to hire Paul Deneve, former ceo of Yves Saint Laurent (Paris), to work on special projects, reporting directly to ceo Timothy Cook.

Before joining Burberry, Ahrendts had held management roles with both Liz Claiborne and Donna Karan Intl. She had been with Burberry since 2001, much of that time working closely with Bailey.