Apple appointed Isabel Ge Mahe to the newly-created role of vice president and managing director of Greater China.
Apple has created a major new executive role in China and appointed the head of its wireless technologies unit to run it, reporting into CEO Tim Cook, as the technology giant struggles with falling sales in the world’s second-largest economy.
Isabel Ge Mahe will take up the new role of vice president and managing director of Greater China, Apple said in a statement late on Tuesday. Ge Mahe is moving from her role as vice president of Wireless Technologies to take up the new job which is based in Shanghai.
The executive will report into Cook and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams.
Apple’s move comes at a time when the world’s second-largest smartphone maker by market share grapples with stricter regulation in China and struggling iPhone sales. In the quarter ended April 1, Greater China revenues fell 14 percent year-on-year, though iPhone sales were up 1 percent, pointing towards a slight recovery.
Local Chinese brands like Oppo, Vivo, and Huawei, have posed a big challenge to Apple in China, taking away market share. But Apple is hoping its upcoming device releases, especially the souped up iPhone 8 anniversary edition phone, will win back Chinese consumers.
