Allison Johnson to leave marketing VP role at Apple?
updated 09:25 am EDT, Thu March 31, 2011
Negotiations still ongoing, say sources
Apple's VP of worldwide marketing, Allison Johnson, is in the process of leaving the company, several sources are quoted as saying. The executive is reportedly planning to co-found a new marketing and communications business with a former Facebook PR executive, Brandee Barker. The new company currently lacks a name or a client list, but could pull in current Barker clients Quora and Groupon.
Both Barker and an Apple spokeswoman have refused to comment on the situation. The sources add, though, that Johnson is only waiting to finish negotiating her exit from Apple, a process which may wrap up before the summer. No other information has been passed along.
Johnson arrived at Apple after having done PR work for HP; a co-worker there is said to have once described her as the "prime minister" of HP. Since 2005 Johnson has been responsible for managing much of Apple's global advertising campaigns, using material created by firm TBWAChiatDay. Apple CEO Steve Jobs is believed to keep a close watch on his company's marketing efforts, to the extent that Johnson has reported to him directly.
