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Apple names insider Steve Smith as new M&A chief, memo shows

By Thomson Reuters Oct 8, 2026 | 2:20 PM

Oct 8 (Reuters) – Apple appointed insider Steve Smith as head of mergers and acquisitions, while moving Adrian Perica ​to its services division, according ‌to a memo seen by Reuters on Thursday.

Perica, a more than 17-year veteran of Apple’s M&A and corporate development function, also took oversight ‌of ​iCloud, Fitness+ and News, ⁠among other businesses, ⁠in 2023, the memo written by services chief Eddy Cue said.

Here are some details:

• Perica will now dedicate his ​efforts entirely to the services leadership team and report to Cue, the ⁠memo said

• Apple did ⁠not immediately respond to a ​Reuters request for comment on the move, ​which marks one of the latest management ‌shifts under new CEO John Ternus

• “We have big plans for services and I’m thrilled to be getting more of ⁠Adrian’s time,” Cue wrote in the memo

• Smith will report to Chief Financial Officer Kevan Parekh, ⁠the ‌memo said

• The company is ⁠also promoting Carson Oliver to ​vice ‌president of the App Store, ​according to ⁠Bloomberg News, which first reported the development earlier in the day

• Shares of Apple were up about 1.4% on Thursday

(Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by ​Shilpi Majumdar)