Apple’s top procurement staffer has allegedly been given his marching orders after making vulgar comments on social media platform.
Bloomberg reported Tony Blevins, the company’s vice president of procurement, was sacked after a crude comment about the procurement profession.
In the video, also shared on Instagram in early September, Blevins is interviewed by a social media influencer who asks people with expensive-looking cars what they do for a living.
After Daniel Mac asks the question, Blevins replies: “I have rich cars, play golf and fondle big-breasted women, but I take weekends and major holidays off.”
He ends the interview commenting he had a “hell of a dental plan.”
The video carrying the caption, “Quite the occupation this man has,” shows Blevins stepping out of a $500,000 USD Mercedes McLaren SLR model.
The comments mimic a line in 1981 movie Arthur where, Arthur Bach says “I race cars, play tennis and fondle women, but I have weekends off and I am my own boss.”
Bloomberg reported Apple launched an internal investigation and a source from the tech giant confirmed he had been given his marching orders.
In a statement to Bloomberg Mr Blevins, who was reportedly with Apple for more than two decades, said:
“I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologise to anyone who was offended by my mistaken attempt at humour.”
Nicknamed “the Blevinator” due to a hard line with negotiating, a Wall Street Journal Article said Blevins was Apple’s cost cutter whose job was “to stare down suppliers and slash prices to the bone.”
Mac Rumours reported Blevins managed negotiations for Apple’s $5 billion spaceship-shaped Apple Park campus and saved the company millions of dollars in the procurement of glass for the structure.
