Katie Cotton, the former public relations chief of Apple during the Steve Jobs era, has passed away at the age of 58. Her contributions to Apple’s success during her more than two-decade career at the company have been widely recognized and celebrated.
Cotton was a key figure at Apple, who worked closely with Steve Jobs, the company’s co-founder and former CEO. According to tech journalist Walt Mossberg, Cotton was a “formidable figure” at Apple and a “key partner” of Steve Jobs. Jobs relied heavily on her judgment, and she played a significant role in shaping the company’s public image.
In a statement to Bloomberg, Apple said it was “deeply saddened” by Cotton’s passing and described her as an “extraordinary person” who made countless contributions to the company over the course of her career. The statement added that the thoughts of everyone at Apple were with her loved ones and those who had the opportunity to work with her.
Cotton retired from her position at Apple in 2014 after over 20 years of service. At the time, she described the decision to leave as one of the hardest of her career. “Apple is a part of my heart,” she said, adding that she wanted to spend more time with her children.
While Cotton was widely respected and admired within Apple, some journalists and critics have criticized her for helping to establish a culture of secrecy within the company. Apple has long been known for its tight-lipped approach to product development and marketing, and Cotton played a key role in maintaining that image.
Since Cotton’s retirement, the role of PR chief at Apple has been taken up by Kristin Huguet Quayle, who has been with the company for over 16 years. Quayle joined Apple’s Communications team in 2005 and has worked her way up the ranks to become the current vice president of communications, reporting directly to CEO Tim Cook.
