Apple CEO Tim Cook joins influential Beijing university board as company’s China woes continue
- The American has been appointed as the chairman of the advisory board at Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management in Beijing
- The role offers access to state leaders, with appointments often providing clues on the relationship between Beijing and top international business titans
Apple CEO Tim Cook has been appointed chairman of the advisory board at Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management in Beijing, a role that could provide access to top Chinese leaders at a time the iPhone manufacturer is facing mounting challenges in the world’s second largest economy.
Cook will assume the role for three years and replace Jim Breyer, the founder and chief executive of Breyer Capital, according to a statement from the university released on Friday. Cook said he would work with other members on the board, who have not been named, to make the Beijing-based school into a “world-class” education institution.
Apple’s market share in China is sliding as nationalist rhetoric calling for consumers to switch to Chinese phone manufacturer Huawei has gained momentum amid the trade war between China and the United States.
New appointments to the board, which is usually stacked with business and political leaders, could offer clues on the relationship between Beijing and some of the world’s most influential business leaders at a time when trade tensions have reached new highs.
Chinese business titans including Alibaba founder Jack Ma and Tencent founder Pony Ma also served on the board, as did foreign business leaders like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and Masayoshi Son, the chairman of SoftBank. Alibaba is the owner of the South China Morning Post.