Apple confirms more leadership departures as Lisa Jackson retires and Meta’s Jennifer Newstead joins as General Counsel

Apple has announced another round of senior leadership changes, confirming on Thursday that Lisa Jackson, the company’s vice president for Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives, will retire in late January 2026. The update follows a string of recent exits, including former COO Jeff Williams, AI chief John Giannandrea, and design head Alan Dye, who has moved to Meta.

In parallel, Apple revealed that Jennifer Newstead, currently chief legal officer at Meta, will take over as general counsel on 1 March 2026. She will succeed Kate Adams, who plans to retire late next year after serving as Apple’s top lawyer since 2017.

With Jackson’s departure and Newstead’s arrival, Apple is restructuring responsibilities across key teams. According to the company, Government Affairs will transition to Adams for the coming year and will then be led by Newstead. Her title will shift to senior vice president, General Counsel and Government Affairs, consolidating the legal and policy arms under one umbrella.

Meanwhile, the Environment and Social Initiatives teams will report to Sabih Khan, who recently stepped into the role of chief operating officer following the retirement of Jeff Williams.

Jackson, who joined Apple in 2013 after leading the US Environmental Protection Agency during part of President Obama’s administration, became Apple’s policy chief in 2015 and has been central to the company’s environmental commitments. Adams, before taking the general counsel role at Apple, spent 14 years at Honeywell.

The leadership overhaul marks one of the most significant shifts in Apple’s executive ranks in recent years, signalling a new phase for the company as it navigates regulatory pressures, global policy challenges, and an evolving product strategy.