Apple has appointed Meta Platforms’ chief legal officer Jennifer Newstead as its next general counsel, a move announced alongside several senior leadership transitions. As Reuters reports, Newstead will join Apple as senior vice president next month before formally assuming the GC role in March.

Newstead brings a broad portfolio spanning government, technology and international regulatory work. Before joining Meta, she served as legal adviser to the U.S. Department of State, and in her current role has overseen some of the most complex global compliance, privacy and competition issues facing a major digital platform.

Her appointment marks a significant moment for Apple’s legal and policy apparatus. Current general counsel Kate Adams, who has held the role since 2017, will retire late next year after a transitional handoff. Lisa Jackson, vice president for environment, policy and social initiatives, is also set to retire in January.

Apple said its government affairs organization previously housed within Jackson’s portfolio will merge into the office of the general counsel once Adams retires. Newstead will lead the combined function, signaling a tighter integration of legal, regulatory and public policy strategy at a time when Apple faces intensifying scrutiny from global regulators.

The announcement follows additional executive movement between Big Tech rivals. Longtime Apple design leader Alan Dye recently accepted a role as chief design officer at Meta, underscoring the increasing fluidity of senior talent across the sector. For Apple, Newstead’s arrival provides continuity and legal firepower as the company navigates ongoing antitrust probes, privacy rulemaking and geopolitical pressures shaping its hardware and services businesses.