Technology companies have found themselves in intersection The latest shrinkage in the market Perhaps more pain in the future.

Because of her great exposure to China, apple Initially saw the largest sale of the group. The shares of the iPhone maker decreased About 20 % In the following week, Trump announced the mutual definitions, before it was modest on Thursday and Friday

However, the Apple analyst and Apple investor, partly due to the training and rates of the current CEO, Tim Cook, and his background as a whisper in the supply chain.

Jeremy Friedman, co -professor of business and geography at Harvard Business College, says: “We are at a moment when COO’s responsibilities are accustomed to being in the best face of the CEO,” says Jeremy Friedman, a co -professor of business and geographic management at Harvard Business College. “The focus is on logistics now.”

Dan Evez, chief analyst at Wedbush Securities, warned of Trump’s plans to force Apple to manufacture iPhone devices locally-A business watchers agreed upon will be catastrophic. Although Apple is in an unenviable position, he says that a cook is uniquely suitable to meet this moment.

“The truth is that there is no more company in the eye of the storm,” said Eves. “But given the history of Cook, in my opinion, as one of the best leaders in the world, no one is better to move from it.”

Cooking as a main operator

Cook arrived at Apple in 1998 at a critical moment of the company. The Technical brand has a strong request for consumers, but the saturated supply chain and the poor inventory management Huge challenges And inconsistent quality. Cook, who has held the roles of the higher operations in COMPAC and IBMHe is a training engineer, recovered the sprawling supplies chain of Apple and building the inventory system in a timely manner. The legendary founder of Apple, Steve Jobs Cook, was appointed as an executive president just months before his death.

This was the right step for countless reasons, including what was about to happen in the business environment. research From McKinsey It was published in 2022 that, compared to decades, companies suffer from unexpected disturbances of their supply chains, and with greater consequences than ever. Daniel Swan, who participated in the leadership of McKinsey operations in the world, says companies that have major leaders and members of the board who are also the operational mastermind are the first to respond to a crisis, making it a great performance.

Swan says that the leaders who are drowned in operations understand “from bottom to top, what is happening.” He says they are developing a likable understanding instead of a superficial understanding of events, which leads to “understanding the effects of your products and customers, and allows you to make much better decisions.”

He adds that whether conflicts, epidemics, air events, or commercial wars, the operators know that they are proactive, and they understand that the disturbances are part of life. Instead of installing one “correct” solution, he says, the regime thinkers are looking for responses that provide flexibility.

“The only thing in disrupting the supply chain is, by definition, to be wrong,” he says.

’10 % diplomatic ‘

In his early years as an executive president, Cook faced criticism for not introducing large new products or showing the major visions of his famous predecessor. However, Cook has proven to be the right man for this role, repetition of products, expanding its market from Apple, and creating the world The first company 3 trillion dollars (A few others have since followed) – while maneuvering is in an increasingly complex world.

Even during the relative calm periods, Cook was famous for focusing on time supply – for example, by jumping before competitors to reserve a good air holidays shipping advance From the Christmas season.

In the last test of his tactical skills, Cook has already shown the reason for the importance of flexibility. According to what was reported, Apple decided that it would be so Sources of more iPhone devices associated with the United States From India, where Trump setting definitions 27 %, not from China, where they are Now 145 %. This step is seen as the StopGAP scale while customs tariff negotiations continue.

This type of fitness does not come easily to a company operating on the Apple scale. But after the epidemic, when Apple ultimately He suffered from the same deficiencyFriedman says that the delays and billions of lost sales as other companies have started building additional manufacturing paths, giving Apple flexibility in transporting production to the point, without taking out all the supply chain from China.

CEOs certainly find themselves in immovable water after Trump’s tariff. Apple on the right path to experience Unprecedented Along with the rest of the American companies, there is a lot that the CEO can do to calm the dual drawings pain. Evis appreciation Put the afternoon price for iPhone up to $ 3500. Just as the market began to fully dissolve on Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced a temporary stop of 90 days on the customs tariff for all trading partners in the United States except for China, who raised the definitions more on them. In short, the inability to predict.

But regardless of the background of Cook Co, he was building relationships in Washington, or as IVES says: “Cook is 10 % political, 90 % CEO.”

In the last president’s state, Cook used his diplomatic skills Win the tariff exemption From Trump, a leader who has developed a strong business relationship with him.

It is not clear whether there is the same hole for relief today, or whether Apple leader has an advantage over any other executive or billionaire manager Attempt to influence Trump’s policies, Friedman says. However, he notes, as a leader of the world’s most valuable companies, which occurred between two superpowers, Cook may play a role as a future state man on a wider scale than just managing his own company. According to February, Apple announced plans for Spending 500 billion dollars In the United States to support its efforts in artificial intelligence, add a new factory and create 20,000 jobs over the next four years.

“One can imagine, if there is a kind of the major deal between the United States and China next year or two,” says, “Tim Cook says as soon as anyone plays a mediator role.”

This story was originally shown on Fortune.com

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2025-04-09 17:49:00