Apple Inc. has made a move in its executive reshuffle by appointing its first ever chief people officer. Carol Surface, formerly of health technology company Medtronic, has been named to the new role and will be taking over the human resources duties from Deirdre O’Brien, who will continue in her role as head of retail.

In a memo to employees, Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly announced that Surface will join the company in March and will report directly to him.

With her extensive experience, Surface will be responsible for overseeing the tech giant's workforce of over 164,000 employees globally.

This reshuffle marks a major change in Apple's management structure, giving a higher profile to the HR role and enabling O’Brien to concentrate on the company's retail operations.

As the company expands into new countries and faces challenges such as unionization drives in US stores, the move demonstrates Apple's commitment to supporting and empowering its employees.

This reshuffle follows other recent changes in Apple's leadership team, including the increased responsibilities for Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams and the additional duties for Adrian Perica, head of corporate development.

With the appointment of Surface as its first ever hief of people, Apple aims to establish a strong HR infrastructure to better serve its employees and drive the company forward.