Carol Surface, former chief people officer, Apple, has now been roped in by HP for the role of chief people officer. Her stint with Apple lasted almost two years.
Before joining Apple in March 2023, Surface—who holds a PhD in industrial and organisational psychology from Central Michigan University—served as EVP and chief human resources officer, Medtronic. She served the medical equipment manufacturing company for more than nine and a half years, from 2013 to 2023.
With a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Carol Surface began her professional journey with PepsiCo in the year 2000. She joined as director, organisation and management development, Pepsi International. Less than three years later, she was elevated to VP-HR, China Beverages. This role saw her relocating from New York to Hong Kong. From 2003 to 2007, she served as chief personnel officer, Asia region. Another elevation brought her back to New York as chief personnel officer, PepsiCo International. By the time Surface moved on from PepsiCo in 2009, she had become chief personnel officer-Asia, Middle East and Africa, based out of Dubai.
Her next stop was Best Buy, where she spent a little less than four years as executive vice president, chief human resources officer, working out of Greater Minneapolis.
It was in September 2013 that her association with Medtronic began. For well over nine and a half years, she successfully essayed the role of EVP and CHRO, Medtronic, before joining Apple as CPO, in 2023.
Carol Surface serves as vice chair of the HR Policy Association, co-chair of Gartner’s CHRO Leadership Board, and is a member of the advisory board of the University of South Carolina Centre for Executive Succession.
