Tim Cook

Steve Jobs aside, Apple's executive team is not well known to the general public. And while casual observers may not recognize his name, is "one of the most important players within Apple," explains blogger Edward Eigerman. With Jobs in the hospital recovering from cancer surgery, it was Cook, Apple's EVP of Operations, who stepped into the temporarily vacant CEO position. Tim came to Apple from Compaq, which was seen as a bit too "industry" at the time by a lot of insiders, but "he made his mark quickly and has had incredible influence in the company since." Cook has been responsible for operations and sales, "two things that Steve has not exactly excelled at in his career." By bringing new talent to the table, Cook now has "genuine authority and power within the company."

by MacNN Staff