Steve Dowling

Four 'Steve Dowling' stories June 2014 - April 2015

Senior PR executive Natalie Kerris leaves Apple following Dowling promotion

Mark Gurman Apr 22 2015 - 12:48 pm PT

Natalie Kerris, a longtime senior executive within Apple’s PR and Communications group is retiring from the company, she confirmed today on Twitter. Journalist Ed Bott first indicated her retirement via Twitter. Bott says that Kerris informed him of her retirement for a LinkedIn message, and Kerris has updated her LinkedIn profile. Kerris joined Apple 14 years ago, and she led PR for Apple’s major product lines such as the iPhone. Kerris’s position within Apple’s PR group grew upon the retirement of former VP of Communications Katie Cotton.

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Apple officially names Steve Dowling as Vice President of Communications

Mark Gurman Apr 16 2015 - 4:56 pm PT

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Apple has officially named long time director of public relations Steve Dowling as its new Vice President of Communications, as noted on the company’s executive bios webpage. Dowling succeeds former Apple Communications head Katie Cotton, who left Apple in 2014 following Apple CEO Tim Cook choosing to take Apple in a new direction PR-wise. Dowling has led Apple’s Communications division for several months following Cotton’s departure, and he was internally named interim head of PR last October. Following the departure of Cotton, Apple’s PR strategy has been more open, with the company commenting more frequently on various news matters and seeding product review units to more news organizations. Dowling has been seen alongside Cook at various media appearances across the world. Last year, we published an extensive profile of Apple’s PR, Communications, and Marketing department, noting that Dowling would likely become Katie Cotton’s official successor in the near future.

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Apple names Steve Dowling as interim PR head following Katie Cotton’s retirement

Zac Hall Oct 2 2014 - 10:09 am PT

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Tim Cook recently visited Palo Alto Apple Store alongside Steve Dowling

Tim Cook <a href="http://viptest.9to5mac.com/community/tim-cook-iphone-6-launch-video/" target="_blank">recently visited Palo Alto Apple Store</a> alongside Steve Dowling

Re/code reports today that Apple has chosen longtime Apple PR deputy Steve Dowling to lead Apple’s public relations efforts as interim PR chief. The report notes that Dowling’s role as head of Apple PR is not yet permanent as Apple continues to look for candidates outside of the company.

Sources close to Apple tell Code/red that Dowling was tapped as interim head of public relations last week by CEO Tim Cook. […] Dowling’s appointment has been framed to employees as an interim one and I’m told Apple will continue to evaluate worthy outside candidates if one should pop up. That said, the fact that Cook has officially put Dowling at the top of Apple’s PR organization suggests he could remain there.

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Apple looking to externally hire ‘friendlier, more approachable’ PR chief after Katie Cotton’s retirement

Zac Hall Jun 9 2014 - 10:52 am PT

8 Comments

Tim Cook China

(Tim Cook in China with Katie Cotton)

Now that Apple’s PR chief and VP of Corporate Communications Katie Cotton has officially joined the growing group of retiring Apple leadership, Tim Cook is searching for the company’s next VP of Communications. Re/code reports that Apple is looking outside the company, however, rather than promoting someone internally to permanently fill the role.

And though there are at least two well-qualified internal candidates for the job — comms veterans Steve Dowling and Nat Kerris — Apple is also looking outside the company for Cotton’s replacement. Sources in position to know tell Code/red that CEO Tim Cook is overseeing the search, aiming to find some high-profile external candidates for consideration. And he’s paying particular attention to those he believes could put a friendlier, more approachable face on Apple’s public relations efforts.

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