Tim Cook has enjoyed a successful career in the personal computer industry. After graduating from Auburn University in 1982 and Fuqua School of Business in 1988, Tim gained degrees in Industrial Engineering and Business Administration. Armed with impressive qualifications, he spent 12 years of his career as a member of the personal computer division of IBM. He also spent time serving as the CEO of Intelligent Electronics and as Vice President of Corporate Materials for Compaq.
Now at the peak of his career, Tim is considered an immensely influential business figure. Joining Apple Inc in 1998, Tim worked in positions such as SVP of Worldwide Operations and Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Operations before he was appointed as CEO of Apple Inc in 2011. Credited for reigniting the company in a revenue crisis, Apple’s present $100 billion turnover is thanks to Tim’s leadership skills and innovative mindset. Tim revealed in 2013 that his leadership style focuses on people, strategy and execution, and he added, "If you get those three right the world is a great place”.
Tim has also addressed the personal privacy issues that regularly threaten to undermine the Internet. Recently he attended a closed-door summit hosted by former US President, Barack Obama, where he positioned Apple at the forefront of respecting customer privacy. In 2017, he spoke at the World Internet Conference in China where he commented on Apple’s cybersecurity ethos, in which they are developing a digital economy for openness. He has also recently been appointed as the Chairman of the advisory board for Tsinghua University Economics School.
Over the course of Tim’s influential career, he was honoured with a number of high-profile awards. These include the Financial Times Person of The Year award in 2014, the Fortune Magazine's: World's Greatest Leader in 2015 and, most recently, the Courage Against Hate award in 2018 from the Anti-Defamation League. For his human rights advocacy, Tim was honoured with the Human Rights Campaign's Visibility Award in 2015. He also made headlines as the first CEO of a Fortune 500 company to come out as gay and has been named on the 100 Most Influential People in the World list by Time.
With his years of experience at the top of the tech industry, Tim can undoubtedly reveal the business strategies and management methods that produce the most profitable results as a speaker. Taking over from the prolific Steve Jobs has been no easy task, but Tim has immense self-belief and determination and managed to maintain the company’s credible reputation. Having come out publicly as gay, in his speeches Tim uses his journey of coming out to increase awareness and acceptance for the LGBT+ community. When looking for an expert on all things technology, business management, inclusion and leadership Tim Cook is a fantastic choice as a speaker.
