“Apple doesn't consider internal candidates to be an option,” according to one source

Aug 2, 2013 12:40 GMT  ·  By

The WSJ quotes three separate sources as saying that Apple has no plans to promote anyone within its organization to the SVP role for its Retail division.

After the departure of Ron Johnson, followed by John Browett’s blunders, Tim Cook didn’t see anyone fit to run the retail show for Apple, so he took it upon himself to oversee these operations. But he’s a busy man, and he needs a dedicated retail chief sooner rather than later.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple has tapped recruiter Egon Zehnder to find them a suitable retail chief, but things have progressed slowly, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Cupertino giant reportedly interviewed, and subsequently rejected, several wireless and telecommunications-industry executives, while “A CEO of a privately held retailer in France spurned Apple's overtures, believing it would be hard to change Apple's culture as an outsider,” according to another person quoted by the paper.

Finally, a third person said, “Apple doesn't consider internal candidates to be an option,” according to the Journal.