14 DAY TRIAL // Following the WWDC keynote from earlier this week, TIME magazine released a ranking of Apple executives based on their on-stage performance, putting Cook at the far end and Federighi in one of the chart’s top positions.
Something we too have noted on countless occasions, Cook is not the engaging character Apple needs to convey its iconic keynote presentations, but he’s getting better at some things nonetheless. Such as handing over the stage very quickly, giving his colleagues a chance to shine and gain confidence for the next keynote address.
This was the case with Apple’s last two events, where SVP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi had more stage time than any other Apple executive. At WWDC14 (on Monday), he was on stage demoing OS X and iOS 8 frivolously 70 percent of the time.
TIME says Federighi’s likes are “everything,” and his dislikes are “nothing,” which certainly describes HairForceOne accurately.
Also nicknamed Superman by his own boss, Federighi is being shaped into an iconic figure by the very people who take jabs at his flock-of-seagulls hair. And it seems it’s this combination of self-deprecating humor and energetic pace that earned him points with everyone.
“A rising star and natural speaker, Federighi is by far the most charismatic presenter currently at the company,” reads the profile. “Regardless of the product, topic or audience response, he emits an unwavering, boyish enthusiasm, beaming his way through spec lists, bad jokes, and routine product demos. Before 2012, he was a small-time extra, lucky to be on stage for 10 minutes at a time. Since then, he’s become the face of Apple’s keynotes, presenting for nearly 50% of WWDC 2013, and fully 70% of Monday’s event.”
“Federighi’s not perfect: he loves sprinkling his comments with empty superlatives (‘incredible,’ ‘awesome,’ ‘really nice’), while his constantly cheerful buzz leaves little room for emphasis (how do we know what’s important and what’s not?). But his ability to make 78 minutes of keynote fly by faster than an episode of Silicon Valley makes him easily the best presenter of all current Apple employees.”
WWDC14 is pinned as the guy’s finest moment, and for one reason or another TIME decided to include the deceased Steve Jobs and the fired Scott Forstall in the list of ranked Apple executives based on their presentation skills. Jobs, as you would imagine, nabs the first spot with flying colors. After all, showmanship was really Jobs’ profession, wasn’t it?