Everyone has heard by now that Steve Jobs is taking a medical leave with no date set for his return. Jobs has brought Apple to unprecedented levels to a company that as of recent days was the 2nd most valuable company in the world.
What we need to keep in focus is that Steve Jobs and his family need space so that Steve can heal and get better and return to Apple. We wish Steve Jobs a quick recovery, our fingers are crossed for Jobs.
Jobs’ message to Apple employees:
Team, At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health. I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company.
I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for all of Apple’s day to day operations. I have great confidence that Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific job executing the exciting plans we have in place for 2011.
I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, my family and I would deeply appreciate respect for our privacy.
Steve
What we understand is that Jobs will still be involved in the strategic key decisions guiding the company at the top levels.
One needs to look at the key management of Apple.
Tim Cook the operations executive who was presenting with Verizon the iPhone last week, Tim Cook is the COO but will be stepping up into day to day operations.
Jonathan Ive (Jony), CBE is Senior Vice President of Industrial Design at Apple designer of the iMac, aluminum and titanium PowerBook G4, MacBook, unibody MacBook Pro, iPod, iPhone, and iPad.
Philip W. Schiller – Senior Vice President – Worldwide Product Marketing
Apple stock has taken a slight hit, but we believe that this team and all the thousands of employees at Apple will continue to exemplify what Apple is, a great company worth more than the stock price, but at what it brings to our lives and improvements to it.
Here’s a note we found online that sums Apple pretty well:
Steve Jobs is a visionary, from the development of Apple II in 1977 to the Mac in 1984 to NeXT in the early 1990s, to Apple turn around 1997 to Imac in 1999 to Ipod in 2002 to Iphone in 2007 to Ipad 2010.
Jobs is a very important driving force behind Apple. Apple has had other CEOs in the past without any where near the same success.
Jobs obsession with changing the world through technology has lead Apple to it’s influence on the day to day world. There were MP3 players (Creative Labs) before Ipod but not the impact or vision. Cellphones on the verge Smartphones before Iphone but without the vision.
Say what you want to about his “ego” but many influential people have powerful egos like Bill Gates and Larry Ellison. Since Gates departure at Microsoft the company has been directionless. Oracle with Ellison has been very successful.
Founders CEOs have impact on the company culture and drive to succeed. It’s an extension of their personality. Jobs to this point has had major impact on Apple and on the way the world interacts with technology. I for one hopes for his speedy return and wishes him well.
