Apple has named Steve Smith as its new head of mergers and acquisitions, shifting a key leadership responsibility away from Adrian Perica. Smith, who has served Apple as Senior Director of Corporate Development, will now oversee the company’s M&A efforts. Perica, meanwhile, will focus more narrowly on services including iCloud, Fitness+, and News. Their reporting line to senior exec Eddy Cue remains in place.
App Store Changes and Leadership Adjustments
The executive shuffle also includes the promotion of Carson Oliver to Vice President of the App Store. This move coincides with Phil Schiller stepping back from day-to-day operations, suggesting Apple intends to reinforce leadership in that domain.
While these changes don’t represent a sweeping overhaul, they signal subtle strategic repositioning. Smith has long been part of Perica’s team, so the transition likely won’t disrupt existing continuity. Perica’s shift positions him for possibly greater responsibility in the future—some reports suggest a potential for him to assume some or all of Eddy Cue’s wider services role.
Why This Matters
These internal changes happen as Apple faces increasing pressure to expand its services segment, both in terms of revenue diversity and regulatory scrutiny. Moving M&A under Smith could sharpen focus on acquisitions that bolster Apple’s services offerings—areas like cloud infrastructure, content, and subscription media. At the same time, elevating leadership in the App Store reflects continued emphasis on the ecosystem that underpins much of Apple’s recurring income.
Perica’s continued presence—reportedly still reporting to Eddy Cue—keeps institutional knowledge within arm’s reach, while granting him bandwidth to concentrate. Smith’s advancement acknowledges his experience in corporate deals and positions Apple to be more nimble in its acquisition strategy. Carson Oliver’s promotion also adds continuity to App Store leadership.
What to watch next: whether Perica expands his role to cover all of Eddy Cue’s current responsibilities, how Smith shapes Apple’s acquisition strategy in 2027, and how these leadership shifts influence Apple’s services performance amid regulatory scrutiny and competitive pressure.
