Apple Appoints Jennifer Newstead as General Counsel, Expands Legal and Government Affairs

Jennifer G. Newstead is a prominent American lawyer who most recently served as Chief Legal Officer at Meta (formerly Facebook), overseeing global legal matters and corporate governance from 2019 until late 2025.[1][2][4] In December 2025, she joined Apple as its new General Counsel, succeeding Kate Adams in a significant executive transition amid ongoing regulatory scrutiny in tech.[6][7] Newstead graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1991 with an A.B. in Government and earned her J.D. from Yale Law School in 1994, where she was Managing Editor of the Yale Law Journal.[1][2][3] She clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and Judge Laurence Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and later taught as an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University Law Center.[1][2][4] Her career spans high-level government and private sector roles. From 2018 to 2019, she was Senate-confirmed Legal Adviser at the U.S. Department of State, managing domestic and international legal issues for U.S. foreign policy.[1][2][3] Earlier, she served as General Counsel of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the Department of Justice—where she contributed to drafting the USA PATRIOT Act—and Associate White House Counsel.[1][2][3][5] She spent 12 years (2006-2018) as a partner at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, specializing in litigation, regulatory, and cross-border matters for tech, media, and financial clients.[1][2][3] Newstead's expertise in navigating complex global regulations positions her as a key figure in Big Tech leadership, particularly as Apple faces antitrust challenges and AI governance issues.[6][7] She currently serves on the National Constitution Center's Board of Trustees.[1]

Tim Cook, born November 1, 1960, in Mobile or Robertsdale, Alabama, is an American business executive and the chief executive officer (CEO) of Apple Inc. since August 2011, succeeding co-founder Steve Jobs.[1][3][5] He holds a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Auburn University (1982) and an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.[3][7] Cook began his career at IBM (1982-1994), followed by roles at Intelligent Electronics and Compaq (1994-1997).[3][6][7] He joined Apple in March 1998 as senior vice president of worldwide operations during a period of financial distress, where he streamlined the supply chain, slashing inventory from 30 days to 6 days and enabling profitability.[1][2][4] Promoted to executive vice president of worldwide sales and operations in 2002, he became chief operating officer (COO) in 2005, overseeing global sales, supply chain, and the Macintosh division while serving as interim CEO during Jobs's medical leaves.[1][3][4][5] As CEO, Cook has driven Apple's expansion beyond hardware, launching the Apple Watch (2015), AirPods (2016), and services like Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Pay, and iCloud subscription bundles.[1][2][7] He spearheaded the 2014 Beats acquisition, emphasized privacy as a core strategy, advanced environmental goals including carbon neutrality and recycled materials, and introduced proprietary Apple silicon chips in 2020 for greater production control.[1][2] Under his leadership, Apple achieved unprecedented growth, becoming the world's first trillion-dollar company.[8] Cook serves on Apple's board of directors and is recognized for operational expertise, philanthropy, social justice advocacy, and environmental commitment.[3][4] His methodical style has sustained innovation while broadening markets in regions like China and India.[2][3]

Kate Adams is an American actress, director, and performer based in Los Angeles, California, known for her work in independent films, theater, and voice acting.[3][4][5] She holds a B.A. in Linguistics from Northwestern University, with additional training from institutions including Stella Adler Academy, Upright Citizens Brigade, and Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum.[3] Her film credits include leading and supporting roles in projects such as *Carmen and Moony*, *Walk Out Nice and Smooth*, *The Idea of a You*, *Sleep*, *Thumb*, *No Man of God* (directed by Amber Sealey), *Kate, Unhinged*, *Bea at Rehab*, *Former Cult Member Hears Music for the First Time* (directed by Kristoffer Borgli), and *I Am Easy to Find* (directed by Mike Mills).[3][5] In theater, she has performed at Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga, California, portraying Mary Warren in *The Crucible*, and roles in *Romeo and Juliet* and *The Imaginary Invalid*, as well as *The Pool* at The Elysian Theater.[3] Adams possesses diverse special skills, including fluency in English and Spanish, mime training from Lorin Salm, vocal coaching with Lisa Pompeil, and licenses in digestive health from Food Enzyme Institute and massage therapy from IPSB Massage School.[3] She maintains an active professional profile on platforms like Backstage, listing attributes such as 5'5" height, 120 lbs weight, and a slim build, positioning her for ongoing acting opportunities in Northeast Los Angeles.[4] Listed on MUBI as both actor and director, she continues to build relevance in indie cinema circles, with credits emphasizing creative collaborations and multifaceted performance work.[5] No major recent events or awards are detailed in available sources as of early 2026, underscoring her steady presence in emerging film and stage projects.[3][5]