February 1, 2012: Apple has hired an outsider to supervise and run its retail chain of Apple stores, instead of an executive from within the company. The outsider hired by Apple is Mr. John Browett, the chief executive of Dixons Retail which is one of the Europe’s largest electronics sellers.

Mr. Browett will report to Apple’s chief executive Timothy D. Cook as the Apple’s senior vice president for retail from April start. Mr. Browett is hired to replace Mr. Ron Johnson, who went to become the chief executive of J.C.Penney last year leaving Apple. Mr. Johnson helped in making Apple stores one of the biggest retailing success stories in recent time. First opened in 2001 under the leadership of Mr. Johnson, the Apple stores witnessed great transformation to finally become the fashionable hi-fi emporium exhibiting Apple’s latest gadgetry by the trained staffs. Thus, following the footsteps of Mr. Johnson will not be easy for Mr. Browett.

As of now, Apple has stores in 11 countries and one third of its 361 outlets are outside United States. About 13% of the company’s total sales in the last quarter ended on December 31, 2011 came from retail stores registering $6.12 billion as revenue. The company is expected to open 40 stores in 2012. Out of these 40 stores, 75% of the stores will be opened abroad and China is likely to get more outlets. Thus, the priority of Mr.Browett will be to accept the task of expansion of Apple’s stores internationally with the opening of 40 stores.

According to some of the industry analysts, Dixons offers very conventional shopping environment as compared to Apple’s fashionable high-tech stores. Thus, few analysts believe that hiring Mr. Johnson by Apple has surprised them. “Dixons isn’t a retailer you look at as being that innovative,” said Mr. Gene Munster (an analyst at the investment bank Piper Jaffray). “People in the U.K. who know those stores don’t feel very good about them.” However, Mr. Munster further added, “Apple obviously has a good sense for picking talent.”

At Dixons, Mr. Browett is known for turning around an unprofitable electronics business into one of the strongest business giving tough fight to the rivals like Best Buy. He was known for strolling into stores on Saturdays to help employees to sell television sets and also chat with them at the Dixons. One of the many success stories of the Mr. Browett is fixing of deal for Dixons to sell Apple’s first iPad several weeks prior to his British rivals and also called upon Apple employees to demonstrate the tablet in stores of Dixon. SO, we can expect the new executive to do some good with the Apple stores too.