Tim Cook named chairman at China's Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management

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(Image credit: Tsinghua SEM College Advisory Committee)

What you need to know

  • The Apple CEO will serve three years as chairman.
  • Cook was first appointed to the board in 2013.
  • Other big names in U.S. business are also on the board.

Tim Cook has been named the chairperson of the Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua SEM) advisory board in China. The appointment comes six years after the Apple CEO first joined the board in October 2013. Tsinghua SEM announced Cook's appointment in a recap of the 2019 meeting of the board, it's twentieth annual.

Considered one of the most influential schools in China, Tsinghua SEM's advisory board includes some of the biggest names in business. Current members include Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Foxconn CEO Terry Gou, Dell CEO Michael Dell, General Motors CEO Mary Barra, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Alibaba executive chairman Jack Ma, and Pepsi CEO Ramon Laguarta, plus many more.

In a speech at the meeting, Cook said he hoped to "promote the development of the college" during his upcoming three years as chairperson. He replaces Breyer Capital founder and CEO Jim Breyer in the position.

Tsinghua SEM College Advisory Committee

(Image credit: Tsinghua SEM College Advisory Committee)

Cook's appointment comes at an interesting time in U.S-Chinese and Apple-Chinese relations. On the international front, the nations representing the two largest economies in the world remain stuck in an economic trade war. Meanwhile, many across the political spectrum are criticizing Apple's decision to remove the controversial HKmap.live app from its App Store following continued protests against China by many in Hong Kong.

Bryan M Wolfe
Bryan M Wolfe
Staff Writer

Bryan M. Wolfe has written about technology for over a decade on various websites, including TechRadar, AppAdvice, and many more. Before this, he worked in the technology field across different industries, including healthcare and education. He’s currently iMore’s lead on all things Mac and macOS, although he also loves covering iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Bryan enjoys watching his favorite sports teams, traveling, and driving around his teenage daughter to her latest stage show, audition, or school event in his spare time. He also keeps busy walking his black and white cocker spaniel, Izzy, and trying new coffees and liquid grapes.