Apple Hires Meta's Jennifer Newstead as New General Counsel

Apple has appointed Jennifer Newstead, currently chief legal officer at Meta Platforms and a former U.S. State Department legal adviser, as its next general counsel and senior vice president, the company said on Thursday. Newstead will step into the SVP role next month and assume the general counsel position in March 2026.

The move follows a period of leadership adjustments at Apple. Kate Adams, who has served as general counsel since 2017, will retire next year. Apple also confirmed that vice president for environment, policy and social initiatives, Lisa Jackson, will retire in January.

Apple will consolidate its legal and government affairs teams under Newstead after Adams departs. The change signals a shift in how the company intends to manage regulation, policy engagement and compliance as scrutiny of major technology firms continues in multiple markets.

• Apple hires Meta executive Jennifer Newstead as its next general counsel
• Leadership shift reflects rising competition and regulatory pressure in tech
• Key executive departures and hires signal major strategic repositioning

The timing highlights notable executive movement between Apple and Meta. One day earlier, Meta announced it had hired Alan Dye, Apple’s long-serving head of design, as its chief design officer. The back-to-back announcements reflect the competitive environment between the companies as they expand in areas such as hardware, services, and digital ecosystems.

Newstead previously played roles in U.S. national security and technology regulation before joining Meta in 2019. Her arrival indicates a focus on strengthening legal capacity during a period where companies face litigation, regulatory reviews and policy debates across regions.

Also Read: Macron Joins Xi in Southwest China on Rare Leader-Level Visit

The adjustments mark one of Apple’s more visible executive transitions in recent years. The company continues to refine leadership responsibilities as it manages product development, regulatory issues and global operations while key long-term executives exit and new leadership candidates take shape.