Apple PR veteran Steve Dowling has taken the corporate communications reins for the tech giant, following the exit of longtime corporate communications chief Katie Cotton this year.
Dowling has served as top spokesman and now leads corporate comms. under CEO Tim Cook, although recode.net reported the role is his for now on an interim basis as the company continues a search to replace Cotton.
Dowling joined Apple in 2003 from the journalism realm, serving as Silicon Valley bureau chief for CNBC after a stint for the business news network as a producer in Washington.
Cotton retired from Apple this year after 18 years, the past eight in its top corporate comms. slot.
Her exit sparked an ongoing parlor game in tech PR circles over who would replace her. Rumor mill candidates have included former White House press secretary Jay Carney, Google's Rachel Whetsone, as well as internal staffers like Dowling and senior director of corporate comms. and product PR chief Natalie Kerris.
Business leaders will face challenges in the upcoming year, some of which will come as a complete surprise, or beyond anyone's imagination.
Teneo has hired Philipp Grontzki, who is a 20-year veteran of corporate communications and financial journalism, as a managing director in its strategy and communications group.
Rowan Benecke, who co-founded Zeno Group and helmed Burson-Marsteller's tech practice, has joined McKinsey & Co as director of communications for North America.
BCW has named Golin's Matt Coldagelli EVP and leader of its corporate affairs practice in Chicago.
Abby Bailey, who headed corporate communications for Fedex in its Middle East, India and Africa region, has joined Teneo as managing director in Dubai.
Have a comment? Send it to 
No comments have been submitted for this story yet.