Longtime Apple PR Chief Katie Cotton To Retire

Apple’s VP of worldwide communications Katie Cotton is retiring, the company revealed today. Cotton has been with Apple for more than 18 years, and in that time she’s helped coordinate the epic launches of the company’s most transformative products, including the iPhone and the iPad.

Apple provided a statement to Re/code about Cotton’s retirement, citing a desire to spend more time with her children as the reason for her departure.

“Katie has given her all to this company for over 18 years,” the statement reads. “She has wanted to spend time with her children for some time now. We are really going to miss her.”

Cotton herself offered the following to Re/code on the move: This is hard for me. Apple is a part of my heart and soul.”