Apple Europe: spring cleaning begins

The resignation of Pascal Cagni, general manager and vice president of Apple EMEIA, is only the first step in a deeper overhaul of the European branch. According to our information, he was asked Herve Marchet, director of Apple EMEIA and close to Pascal Cagni, leaving office. It will be understood, the simultaneity of these two starts is not a coincidence, but rather the manifestation of a takeover by its Cupertino subsidiaries. It’s common with Pascal Cagni are many, joining Apple in 2000 from Packard Bell / NEC, to a certain charisma that made him a figure of Apple Europe.

He is known for leading the marketing operations of the education branch of Apple EMEIA: it was as such responsible for the implementation of the operation MIPE with Richard Ramo, the extension of the Apple on Campus program in Europe and particularly France, the major supply contracts universities by Apple, or various discounts for students and teachers. His departure echoes that of Pascal Cagni, he was sort of right arm, and confirms a straightforward takeover of Apple over its subsidiaries, after a first warning shot in late 2005 to mid 2006  that this announcement as a reshuffle of Apple Europe, Middle East, India and Africa finished emptying the subsidiary of this specificity. The first European subsidiary of Apple was created by Jean-Louis Gassee in February 1981: it was obviously of Apple France. His first feature is that she has historically been confused with Apple Europe, France has long been the largest European market for Apple and it’s second in the world. Its second characteristic is to be almost inseparable from efforts to Apple to succeed in the world of education: Gassee was the first president of the Apple Education Foundation since 1982, and the education sector has often been seen as the more influential at Apple Europe. His third feature is to have participated in the establishment of a "French Connection" (and European) at Apple, for engineers and developers, but also for executives: Jean-Louis Gassee succeeded Steve Jobs the head of the Macintosh division, and one of his successors, Michael Spindler, was a time Group CEO.

The transfer of EMEIA Apple headquarters from Paris to London is certainly in large part on operational details, but also an opportunity to redefine the powers and resources granted to Apple Europe, a weakening of the influence of Apple France to bring down the importance of France in the results of Apple, and overall a takeover of its affiliates in Cupertino. In true Apple in Apple, Apple Europe has gradually become a subsidiary of multinational simple. In 2000, Pascal Cagni had yet been recruited by Steve Jobs himself, and we know that both maintained frequent and cordial relations. It must be said that throughout the decade, the growth of Apple was particularly strong in Europe - but the engine of growth is now called China, and the pillars of the subsidiary are also obstacles to a kind of back into line. Europe and its subsidiary Apple simply can afford to build their claims.Tim Cook undeniably a post-Steve Jobs, and these are the frameworks of the 2000s, the era of Steve Jobs, who are landed: this is to normalize Apple breaking strongholds, to make it fit into his costume of one of the largest multinational in the world with a little more centralized organization, and to police the European subsidiary somewhat original (read: Tim Cook: "mere mortal"). In this economic imperative and operational answers probably personal affinities: it is rumored that Pascal Cagni and some of his colleagues do not particularly pleased with the new CEO of Apple, which has increased trips to Europe in recent months. It's a bit of fragrance to any individual who reigned Apple France and Apple Europe that fades: France is no longer "the eldest daughter of the Church Apple," ... in the words of Pascal Cagni.

 
One of the first decisions of Tim Cook as CEO was for example to end the independence of the American education branch of Apple. She has just been dismantled and integrated into the organization "classic" group, the marketing division of joining Phil Schiller, sales of those John Brandon. One could imagine that in the coming months, the situation farcical that Apple sees Europe compete with its parent in establishing a distribution network disappears. Currently, the APR is managed by the subsidiary, part of whose income depends also on network performance sales, while directly managing Cupertino and Apple Retail Apple Store, but also always warns Apple Europe. This is also largely by the success of Apple's retail and the intervention of U.S. teams in the European territory that can explain the decline of the French and European subsidiaries of the group. Insult and ultimate climax of the situation: the local Apple Europe are on top of an Apple Store, and today is an Englishman who leads Apple's retail, his right arm spending most of his time in Europe and especially in London.

The arrival of a new generation in charge, who did not experience the "epic" of the 1980s and 2000, will no doubt promote the standardization of Apple Europe, will indeed become an affiliate "normal" integrated to its parent, as in all major groups. We should learn more about the specifics of these retirements and reorganizations possible that they will result in the coming days. In all cases, it is a new era opens for Apple, if we still doubted.