For its first big hire of the post-Steve Jobs era, famously insular Apple has turned to an outsider.
The Cupertino company announced Tuesday that it has hired John Browett, CEO of European electronics retailer Dixons Retail, to be senior vice president of retail.
"Our retail stores are all about customer service, and John shares that commitment like no one else we've met," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, in a statement. "We are thrilled to have him join our team and bring his incredible retail experience to Apple."
Apple has more than 350 stores worldwide and has aggressive expansion plans, particularly in Europe and Asia. Browett, who has extensive retail experience, could help the company break into new markets.
Browett will begin at Apple in April after stepping down from Dixons, a kind of United Kingdom equivalent of Best Buy, where he is credited with modernizing stores and improving customer service.
"The opportunity ahead of me is an exciting one and I leave knowing that the Group has a bright future under strong leadership," Browett said in a statement posted on Dixons' website.
Before coming to Dixons, Browett held a series of executive roles at British supermarket giant Tesco, including the top job at Tesco.com. He earned a degree in natural sciences from Cambridge University and an MBA at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.
Browett replaces Ron Johnson, who helped design the original Apple Store and built the company's retail division into a global powerhouse. The company's stores reported revenue of $6.1 billion in the most recent quarter, up from $3.8 billion a year ago.
Johnson announced in June that he would leave Apple to become CEO of JC Penney.
E-mail Casey Newton at cnewton@sfchronicle.com.
This article appeared on page D - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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