The annual Sylvan T. Warrington Visiting Lectureship in Ethics and Leadership welcomes esteemed Broad College alumni back to their alma mater to speak on issues and topics in business that they’re passionate about.
Deirdre O’Brien (B.A. Operations Management ’88), senior vice president of retail + people at Apple
On Nov. 11, Deirdre O’Brien (B.A. Operations Management ’88), senior vice president of retail + people at Apple, will be the featured executive speaker at the 2021 Warrington Lecture. O’Brien will join Dean Sanjay Gupta in a virtual “fireside chat” to discuss the importance of ethics in leadership and how she brings this to life at Apple.
O’Brien has been with the tech giant for more than 30 years, and today, part of her role as senior vice president involves leading global retail strategy. She supports Apple’s retail and online teams to enrich the lives of millions of customers every year. With a laser focus on the connection between customers and the people and processes that serve them, O’Brien and her team create retail experiences that educate and inspire.
In her role leading the people team, O’Brien works to help Apple connect, develop and care for its 70,000 employees — and to help those employees do the best work of their lives. Her teams oversee a broad range of functions, including talent development and Apple University, recruiting, employee relations and experience, business partnership, benefits, compensation and inclusion and diversity.
The 2021 Warrington Lecture will take place virtually on Thursday, Nov. 11, at 6 p.m. The lecture will be an open and engaging opportunity for students to hear about O’Brien’s career path, issues and trends that she is facing now and, of course, her advice for tomorrow’s business leaders. Registration is available via Zoom.
