Apple's OSX man decides to leave after 22 years with Steve Jobs
Bertrand Serlet, the man behind Apple's Mac OSX operating system, is leaving the company to spend more time on science
Bertrand Serlet, a senior vice president at Apple and the man in charge of its Macintosh operating system, is leaving the company.
Mr. Serlet, a trusted lieutenant of CEO Steve Jobs, came to the firm in 1997 and led the creation of Mac OS X software.
Previously Mr. Serlet had worked at NeXT, a computer firm started by Mr. Jobs which Apple later bought.Mr. Serlet said in a press release, “I’ve worked with Steve for 22 years and have had an incredible time developing products at both NeXT and Apple, but at this point, I want to focus less on products and more on science.”
Craig Federighi, vice president of Mac software engineering is to replace Mr. Serlet and will report to Mr. Jobs, said the company.
Mr Serlet said of his successor, “Craig has done a great job managing the Mac OS team for the past two years. Lion is a great release and the transition should be seamless.”
Mr. Federighi spent 10 years at Ariba, where one of his jobs was chief technology officer, before coming to Apple in 2009.
Earlier this year Mr. Jobs, who has been fighting cancer, took his third medical leave of absence - but appeared to great applause at the launch of the iPad2 in San Francisco. The company is being run meantime by Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook.
Reports earlier this month that Jonny Ive , the British designer behind the iMac , the iPhone and the iPad was considering a move back to England have not been confirmed.