Apple made to wait for IBM man

 

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By Simon Aughton

Posted on 28 Jan 2009 at 11:53

Apple has announced that Mark Papermaster will be taking up his post as head of Devices Hardware Engineering, following the resolution of a legal dispute with IBM. But Apple will have to wait three months for the man from Big Blue.

Apple appointed Papermaster in November 2008, to replace Tony Fadell as head of its iPod and iPhone engineering team.

But his former employer, IBM, invoked a clause in his contract that forbade him from accepting a job with a competitor for up to a year.

That case has now been resolved with an agreement that Papermaster cannot join Apple until 24 April, six months after he left IBM.

As part of the settlement, Papermaster will have to keep some IBM secrets from Apple.

"Following commencement of his employment with Apple, Mr Papermaster will be required to certify, in July 2009 and again in October 2009, that he has complied with his legal obligations not to use or disclose IBM's confidential or proprietary information," IBM said in a statement.