Apple brings in Burberry CEO as new retail head

Apple products have always blurred the line between consumer technology and fashionable lifestyle accessories. It makes a fair amount of sense then that the Cupertino-based giant has poached Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts as its new head of retail.

The position has been vacant since its previous head John Browett left in October 2012. Interestingly, as GigaOm notes, Browett also came from the British retail sector, having headed up electronics retail store Dixons.

In a statement released late Monday, Apple said that Ahrendts would occupy a “newly created position, as a senior vice president and member of our executive team, reporting to CEO Tim Cook.”

I am profoundly honoured to join Apple in this newly created position next year, and very much look forward to working with the global teams to further enrich the consumer experience on and offline. I have always admired the innovation and impact Apple products and services have on people’s lives and hope in some small way I can help contribute to the company’s continued success and leadership in changing the world.

Ahrendts is expected to join the Apple team some time around April next year and will hope that her vision for the position keeps her in it longer than Browett, who lasted all of six months.

Image: Fortune Live Media (via Flickr).