Beats CEO Jimmy Iovine in Talks to Join Apple as 'Special Adviser'

Thursday May 8, 2014 7:25 pm PDT by Husain Sumra

jimmyiovine Just a couple hours after the Financial Times reported that Apple was in talks to acquire Beats Electronics, the New York Post is reporting that Beats CEO Jimmy Iovine is in talks to join Apple as a "special adviser" to Tim Cook on creative matters.

Beats Electronics boss and veteran music industry executive Jimmy Iovine is in talks to join Apple as a “special adviser” to Tim Cook on creative matters, two sources close to talks tell The Post.

Iovine is also the chairman of Universal Music Group's Interscope Geffen A&M music labels, though his contract is set to expire at the end of 2014. However, it's not clear if this is part of the potential purchase of Beats Electronics or separate from that deal.

Iovine has strong contacts in the music industry, allowing Apple to potentially leverage him for potential future negotiations with music labels. This would make him a strong addition even if Apple doesn't purchase Beats.

If Iovine does join Apple, Iovine would be the second high profile executive to join the company after former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts. The Beats CEO also has a history with Apple, having pitched Steve Jobs on a subscription music service and meeting with Apple executives about Beats Music before it launched.

Top Rated Comments

unobtainium

123 months ago

Apple is not full of stupid people. There must be a good reason for this whole deal to be going through. Without knowing all the facts we can just but guess...

It's pretty obvious. Beats must have negotiated a stellar subscription music deal with the record labels (possibly thanks to this dude's contacts in the industry). Apple wants to quickly jump on that ship, so they're snapping up the deals Beats has already signed.

Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Santabean2000

Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)

I'm not sure how many times this needs to be repeated...

APPLE IS NOT BUYING BEATS FOR ITS HEADPHONES.

APPLE IS NOT BUYING BEATS FOR ITS HEADPHONES.

APPLE IS NOT BUYING BEATS FOR ITS HEADPHONES.

APPLE IS NOT BUYING BEATS FOR ITS HEADPHONES.

Apple needs a Spotify-killer and Beats has a deal with record labels that Apple evidently wants.

Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

DTphonehome

Hope his first piece of advice is "don't buy Beats." But somehow I doubt it.

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Ugh.... what's next, Apple? Gonna hire Dr. Dre too? Ughhhh :(

Haven't you heard? They're hiring a bunch of medical-types for the iWatch. Dr. Dre would be perfect :)

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

rgraf77

Forget hiring Jimmy Iovine as a special advisor. Apple should hire all these keyboard CEO's and multi-billion dollars business owners that post on Macrumors who know what's best for Apple.

Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

bighype

Tim Cook is slowly killing Apple. What Ballmer did to Microsoft, that's exactly what Cook's gonna do to Apple in 5 years. Just watch. The man has no vision and is easily swayed by these BS artists.

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