Apple's Angela Ahrendts to Join Ralph Lauren Board of Directors This August

The Ralph Lauren Corporation today announced that it intends to add Angela Ahrendts to the company's Board of Directors this August. Along with Ahrendts, Qurate Retail CEO Michael George will be added to the board, bringing the number of directors to 13.

Ahrendts joined Apple as the Senior Vice President of Retail in May 2014, where she now spearheads the company's retail strategy, contributes to real estate and development areas, and oversees the operation of Apple's physical stores around the world. Prior to joining Apple, she was CEO of Burberry, Executive Vice President at Liz Claiborne, and President of Donna Karan International.

In joining Ralph Lauren's board, Lauren himself said one of the reasons the company chose Ahrendts was due to her "deep expertise in luxury retail."

“I am delighted to welcome Angela and Mike to the Board of Directors,” said Mr. Ralph Lauren, Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer. “Angela is an industry leader and innovator with deep expertise in luxury retail and an outstanding track record of growing global brands. Mike brings invaluable experience as a senior leader and board member, helping companies drive consumer engagement and growth. Their counsel will be incredibly valuable as we continue to build the future for our iconic brand.”

Ms. Ahrendts said, “I have admired Ralph and been inspired by his pure global lifestyle vision for many years. It is an honor to join this Board as he and Patrice continue to evolve and expand his incredible aesthetic.”

Last September, Ahrendts climbed to the 13th spot on Fortune's "Most Powerful Women" list for 2017, rising from 14th in 2016 and 16th in 2015. During her time with Apple, she has launched the company's new "Today at Apple" retail initiative, offering a range of classes on coding, art, music, design, and photography at Apple stores around the world. Ultimately, Ahrendt's goal with the new program is to change the perception of Apple stores as "forums" or "town squares," and not places where you go to just shop.

While George has been appointed to the board effective today, May 9, Ahrendts will be nominated for election at the company's annual stockholders meeting in August. Ahrendts will retain her duties at Apple following her appointment to Ralph Lauren's board.

Tag: Angela Ahrendts

Top Rated Comments

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pete2106

9 months ago

She's ruined Apple Stores. It's a soul destroying experience going into them these days.

Rating: 14 Votes

Kaibelf

9 months ago

She's ruined Apple Stores. It's a soul destroying experience going into them these days.

Why exactly? People seem to enjoy them a great deal and they are as busy as ever if not more.

Rating: 12 Votes

topgunn

9 months ago

She's ruined Apple Stores. It's a soul destroying experience going into them these days.

Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.

Rating: 7 Votes

MonstaMash

9 months ago

She's ruined Apple Stores. It's a soul destroying experience going into them these days.

Soul destroying? Seems like a bit of a hyperbole? I've been to a few and have always been instantly greeted. Staff have been friendly.

Compare this other technology stores, like AT&T, where all the staff are looking down and texting when you walk in :D

Rating: 6 Votes

Blackstick

9 months ago

Briefly met her my last year in Apple Retail. She’s a typical retail executive, polite and humble in person to the rank and file Leads and store managers- probably a total ball-buster to her direct reports.

Rating: 5 Votes

Denmac1

9 months ago

I remember my first experience at the Palo Alto store when I bought the first iPod. Then, to me, it was truly a 'magical' experience.
The last time I was in a store. it was last October when I picked up my MBP. I was passed through 3 persons to get to the end results. I was not impressed with what I felt was a very impersonal experience. Then I received an email asking how I felt my interaction with 'John' was. How in the heck was I to know when no one wears a name badge anymore and they don't identify themselves when you speak with them.
To me, warm & fuzzy has become cold & clinical, IMHO.
Of course at this point, Apple has nothing new to offer me, so I guess I don't need to go back anyway.

Rating: 5 Votes

CarlJ

9 months ago

Uh huh sure. This is what the only Apple Store in Korea looks like.

Nice pictures, but I'm not sure what you were trying to show - looks like a pretty store filled with people.

topgunn was quoting a line from Yogi Berra ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogi_Berra#"Yogi-isms"'), a baseball player, manager, and coach, from long ago who was quite famous for saying amusing and often self-contradictory things that made no sense (except sometimes they did). He once said of a popular restaurant, "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded", with the second sentence clearly contradicting the first. I thought it was a smart reference in this thread, where people are complaining about how the Apple Stores are supposedly "soul destroying" and terribly unpopular, yet they're as crowded as ever.

Rating: 4 Votes

Veinticinco

9 months ago

As someone who clearly had Timmie's ear, driving the utter debacle that was the 1st gen luxury Watch edition, I'd say she belongs at RL, or anywhere back in the retail fashion world from where Apple plucked and elevated her.

I mean, she's perfect for an industry that, quite literally, values style over substance. That she's thrived at Apple for the last 4 years, sadly speaks volumes.

Rating: 3 Votes

Relentless Power

9 months ago

She's ruined Apple Stores. It's a soul destroying experience going into them these days.

Its hard to believe anything credible in your post without literal examples. I reside in a fairly large city and three Apple Stores have been restructured under her reign and they appear better than before with a sense of style and the Energy is always positive with a decent amount of customers flocking in and out regularly. The product placement and ease of locating what you’re seeking could not be Easier.

Rating: 3 Votes

pete2106

9 months ago

The last time I was there was to get my Apple watch looked at as it wasn't holding any battery charge. I made my appointment online and turned up 10 minutes early. I'd waded through the crowd of people to try and find someone to check in with. Fought my way upstairs to the genius bar and was sat at a table to wait. After about 20 minutes past my appointment time someone came up to make sure that I was checked in, 40 minutes after my appointment time they came back to check that I was checked in. By that point I was so bored, I started live tweeting about all the people coming in after me, being seen to, and leaving. An hour after my appointment time, I got bored with tweeting. Finally, an hour and a half after my appointment time, someone came to look at my watch. After another half an hour of fiddling with it, he announced that they don't have the equipment any more to look at series 1 Apple Watches and that it would need to be sent away to be tested. I sent it off with them, and a week later they called to say it was back. When I got in, they told me that they had screwed up and sent the watch for an out-of-warranty replacement without telling me. Because of this, they actually gave me a brand new watch for free so I shouldn't complain about that part.

I wish I could even say that this was an isolated experience but it's never been a good experience. And that's just servicing. I gave up ages ago on trying to buy anything in the store.

Rating: 3 Votes

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