Michael Spindler | |
|---|---|
| 4th CEO of Apple Inc. | |
| In office October 15, 1993 – February 2, 1996 | |
| Preceded by | John Sculley |
| Succeeded by | Gil Amelio |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 22, 1942 Berlin, Germany |
| Died | 2017 (aged 74–75)[1] |
| Spouse(s) | Maryse |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Technical University in Cologne |
| Known for | CEO of Apple Computer, Inc. |
Michael Spindler (22 December 1942 – 2017[1]) was a German businessman who was president and CEO of Apple from 1993 to 1996.
Career
Spindler graduated from engineering at Technical University in Cologne in 1964[2] and worked at DEC and Intel, before he moved to join Apple Computer.[3] Having joined Apple in 1980 after Mike Markkula brought him over to help out with Apple's European office, he rose through the ranks in Apple's European operations as President of Apple Europe, then President of Apple International.
On October 15, 1993, Spindler was chosen to take over as Apple's CEO when John Sculley was ousted by the board of directors. Spindler presided over several successful projects, such as the introduction of the PowerPC, as well as some major failures, including the Newton and the Copland operating system. Spindler shied away from the spotlight preferring instead to work on operational management and strategy without fanfare. During his tenure the Apple board authorized merger discussions with IBM, Sun Microsystems and Philips, but when these went nowhere, he was replaced by Gil Amelio, on February 2, 1996.
Personal life
From 1985 until his death in 2017, Spindler lived between Paris, France and San Francisco, California, United States with his wife Maryse and three kids Karen, Laurie, and John.[2][1]
Death
Spindler died of illness in 2017. His longtime friend and partner Jean-Louis Gassée stated, "Mike was an original, highly cultured mind, with high-level geopolitical views of our industry."[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Nelzin-Santos, Anthony (25 April 2018). "Michael Spindler, CEO d'Apple de 1993 à 1996, est mort" (in French).
- ^ a b "Michael Spindler, former Apple CEO, our June Luncheon Speaker". The Stillwater Club. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
- ^ Hormby, Tom (6 April 2006). "Michael Spindler: The Peter Principle at Apple". Low End Mac. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
External links
- Michael Spindler: The Peter Principle at Apple by Tom Hormby, April 6, 2006
| Preceded by John Sculley | Apple CEO 1993–1996 | Succeeded by Gil Amelio |