Apple Names Jennifer Newstead as New General Counsel in Major Executive Shake-Up
GeokHub
Contributing Writer
CUPERTINO — Dec 4 (GeokHub) Apple has announced that Jennifer Newstead — formerly the chief legal officer at Meta Platforms — will join the company as senior vice president and take over as general counsel in March 2026. The move follows the planned retirement of current general counsel Kate Adams, who has held the role since 2017.
Beyond her legal duties, Newstead will also oversee Apple’s government affairs organization after the departure of policy-lead Lisa Jackson, who is scheduled to retire in late January 2026. This consolidation merges Apple’s legal, regulatory and policy operations under her leadership.
Newstead brings to Apple a strong background in global legal and regulatory matters, including prior service as legal adviser at the U.S. Department of State. Her appointment comes as part of a broader reshuffling of senior leadership at Apple, reflecting growing focus on regulatory and policy challenges in the tech industry.
The transition signals a new chapter at Apple — one where legal strategy, government relations and global compliance are tightly integrated at the top level, in preparation for evolving regulatory pressures and global expansion.
