Apple has added ex-Boeing CFO James Bell to its board of directors

It’s hard to follow all the ways in which different corporations are connected to each other, because hiring one executive can link a company to half a dozen others, just like that. Take James Bell for an example. The 38-year Boeing veteran and the company’s former CFO and interim CEO is currently on the board of directors as CDW, JPMorgan Chase, and the Dow Chemical Company, as well as a Trustee of Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center. That means that when Apple added him to its own board of directors this week, it gained connections to four different corporations and a handful of other organizations, all by hiring one man. 

Apple on Thursday announced a new addition to its board of directors: former chief financial officer and interim CEO of The Boeing Company. Bell spent 38 years at Boeing, where he also oversaw Boeing Capital Corporation and Boeing Shared Services. He served as the airplane manufacturer’s interim CEO in 2005. “James brings a wealth of global, financial and industrial experience from his successful career at Boeing as corporate president and CFO,” said Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook. “I am thrilled to welcome him to Apple’s board of directors and I look forward to working with him.” Bell is also a member of the boards of JP Morgan Chase, Dow Chemical Company, and CDW. He’s a Trustee of Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center, and has worked with New Leaders for New Schools to help develop talented teachers and principals. “I am an avid user of Apple products and have a tremendous respect for the company’s ability to innovate,” Bell said. “I am delighted to join the Apple board and look forward to contributing to its continued success in any way I can.”