Paul Deneve

Paul Deneve is a Belgian business executive who served as Vice President of Special Projects at Apple from 2013 to 2017.12 He has a remarkable career spanning both technology and luxury fashion industries.

Professional Background

Early Career::

• Began at ExxonMobil EMEA as an internal auditor in 19851
• Worked at Apple Europe in sales and marketing from 1990 to 199712

Fashion Industry Leadership::

• CEO of Yves Saint Laurent (2011-2013)1
• Previously led fashion houses including:
  • Courreges (Managing Director, 1997)
  • Nina Ricci (President, 2003-2005)
  • Lanvin (President, 2006-2008)1

Apple Tenure

At Apple, Deneve worked on special projects, primarily focused on the Apple Watch launch.23 He reported directly to Tim Cook initially, and later to COO Jeff Williams.5 He brought significant luxury fashion expertise to the tech company, helping Apple approach product design and marketing from a fashion perspective.2

Education and Personal Details

• Born on 16 February 1961 in Belgium1
• Graduated from Solvay Business School at ULB
• Holds an MBA from University of Chicago and MSc in Management from Stanford University1
• Married to Anne-Sophie Deneve, an art collector1

Post-Apple Career

After leaving Apple in December 2017, Deneve became an investor at Alta Plaza Ventures4 and continues to advise Silicon Valley startups.1