Apple Hires Former Levi's Senior VP for Retail Team

Apple has hired Levi Strauss’ former Senior Vice President Enrique Atienza, reports 9to5Mac. Atienza, who formerly handled Levi’s Retail Americas and Global Store Operations, is said to be working as a retail director overseeing multiple regions on the West Coast of the United States.

apple_store_fifth_avenue

A source says that Atienza will be the director of all retail matters for many regions within the West Coast of the United States, and this role is one of the highest ranking retail positions inside of Apple. Several internal and external candidates were considered for the position, but the external Atienza is said to have been the best fit.

While a Levi Strauss spokeswoman confirmed that Atienza had recently left the company, she declined to comment further on the departure. At Levi Strauss, Atienza was in charge of streamlining the company’s global sales approach to create a better customer experience.

9to5Mac also notes that Steve Cano, formerly a retail manager, was promoted to Vice President of Retail Operations earlier in the year. Atienza will report to Cano, who reports directly to Tim Cook.

As Apple beefs up its retail team, the company is still searching for a new retail chief after John Browett was ousted last October as part of a major management restructuring. In August, The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple was only considering outside candidates for the position.

Apple's retail operations are more important than ever as the company enters into the fall months with a slew of products to reveal. Both the iPhone 5S and the low-cost iPhone 5C are expected to debut in September, with the fifth-generation iPad and the iPad mini coming slightly later in the year.

Top Rated Comments

GenesisST Avatar
138 months ago
iPhone 5(01)
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sniffies Avatar
138 months ago
That's just crazy!

Apple is best at computers, iPhones, software, etc. Their decision to start selling jeans is plain stupid and ridiculous. I'm done with this company.

Android, here I come!
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
testcard Avatar
138 months ago
Nice. Stone-washed iPhone anyone?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tbrand7 Avatar
138 months ago
That's just crazy!

Apple is best at computers, iPhones, software, etc. Their decision to start selling jeans is plain stupid and ridiculous. I'm done with this company.

Android, here I come!

Are you currently sober?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chirpie Avatar
138 months ago
My advice for new hires is that the people at the top aren't as smart as you think they are.

Generally they've got a strong work ethic and they eat and breathe their job, but there's nothing "magical" in their thought process.

I see this as just another calculated roll of the die.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Technarchy Avatar
138 months ago
We have a Levi's corporate store near me, and it's of my favorite shops. Always well laid out, clean, good staff.

Sounds like a good hire to me.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone is Imminent

Monday March 18, 2024 5:27 am PDT by
iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 should be released within the next few days, with a build number of 21E235, according to a source with a proven track record. MacRumors previously reported that Apple was internally testing iOS 17.4.1. As a minor update for the iPhone, it will likely address software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear if the update will include any other changes. ...
iOS 17 Passkey With Apple ACCOUNT Feature

'Apple ID' Expected to Change to 'Apple Account' Starting With iOS 18

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:13 am PDT by
MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to rebrand "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" across its software platforms and websites like iCloud.com as early as this year, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated this change. A mockup of the new Apple Account branding In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new "Apple Account" branding will start to be used later this...
M3 iPad Feature 3

New iPads Likely to Begin Shipping in April

Monday March 18, 2024 9:52 am PDT by
Apple's new iPad Pro models with OLED displays will likely begin shipping to customers in April, according to information shared today by Ross Young, CEO of display industry research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said the new iPad Pro models might not ship until "deeper" into April in his Power On newsletter on Sunday:I've repeatedly said that new...