Apple hires new head of government relations

As of August 31, Nate Gatten will take over as head of government relations at Apple. The former chief lobbyist for American Airlines succeeds a position that has only been filled temporarily since Lisa Jackson's departure – and which is likely to gain in importance this fall.

Apple has filled a key position that had been filled on an interim basis for the past few months. Nate Gatten will become Vice President of Government Affairs and will report to Jennifer Newstead, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, who heads the legal department. The change comes as Apple's leadership team is undergoing a near-complete overhaul – the departure of the head of Apple Pay was announced just the day before.

Key Facts at a Glance

Nate Gatten will take over as head of government relations on August 31.
He joined American Airlines in 2017 and led the same division; prior to that, he worked at JPMorgan Chase and Fannie Mae.
Following Lisa Jackson's resignation, the position had been temporarily shared by Chief Legal Officer Katherine Adams.
Reports indicate that Apple specifically sought someone with access to the US government; her husband is a Republican.
Tim Cook remains involved in contacts with political decision-makers as Executive Chairman.

Who will take over the position

Gatten comes from the aviation industry. Since 2017, he was responsible for government relations at American Airlines; he announced his departure this week. Previously, he worked at the major bank JPMorgan Chase and the mortgage lender Fannie Mae – both sectors with highly regulated environments.

In addition to his political work, he brings experience in the real estate business. This is reportedly considered useful because Apple is expanding its store network and additional locations.

How the position became vacant

The department was led until the end of last year by Lisa Jackson, who joined Apple in 2013 and previously headed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Obama. At Apple, she was responsible for government relations as well as environmental and social programs.

Following her announcement of her retirement, Chief Legal Officer Katherine Adams additionally took over the area as Senior Vice President – explicitly as an interim solution until her own departure at the end of 2026. The chain of changes at a glance:

Period	Responsibility for government relations
2013 to the end of 2025	Lisa Jackson, former head of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Transition until August 2026	Katherine Adams in addition to the legal department
from August 31, 2026	Nate Gatten, formerly American Airlines

What is being reported about the selection

According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple was looking for someone who could adapt to the current US administration. Garmen is a Republican and is said to work closely with Tim Cook. The report originates from a Bloomberg article.

Apple itself has not commented on the reasons behind the appointment. The appointment itself, including the start date, has been confirmed; the assessment of the political fit comes from sources close to the company.

Cook remains on board, but in a different role

One detail connects this personnel change with the leadership shift. Tim Cook will step down as CEO on September 1st and move to the board of directors as Executive Chairman – but will explicitly retain the responsibility of maintaining contacts with political decision-makers worldwide.

Gatten will thus take up his post one day before Cook's move. In effect, Apple will have a dual structure for political work this week: an operational manager responsible for day-to-day business and an experienced representative with direct lines to heads of state.

Why Brussels is not mentioned in this personnel matter

What's striking is the focus of the reporting on the selection: exclusively on Washington. Yet Apple's toughest regulatory battle is currently in Europe. The Digital Markets Act keeps Siri AI off iPhones and iPads in the EU, and Cook personally sought a solution with the Commission in July.

The two are not mutually exclusive. The role in Cupertino is traditionally tailored to US politics, while Apple maintains separate structures for Brussels – and the new Executive Chairman is leveraging his contacts there. That these contacts also extend to the German-speaking world was demonstrated in July when Cook and John Ternus spoke with the Bavarian Minister-President via FaceTime.

For users in this country, the appointment therefore has no direct impact. Its relevance becomes indirect: Trade policy between Washington and Brussels affects Apple's pricing, and the US president has threatened the EU with tariffs because of the fines levied against technology companies. Whoever conducts these negotiations in Cupertino will help determine how Apple reacts in such conflicts.

One component in a larger transformation

With Garmen's appointment, another gap in the second tier of leadership has been filled. The succession in the legal department remains open when Katherine Adams leaves at the end of the year, as does the leadership of Apple Pay and Wallet following Jennifer Bailey's departure at the end of October. The restructuring of the top management is therefore likely to continue even after the CEO change. (Image: Apple)