There’s more shaking in the world of high technology than budgets and IT workers. Apple lost two vice presidents to personal issues and gained an IBM executive to lead the iPhone and iPod charge. But IBM is suing Apple’s new employee in a New York court.

Apple on Tuesday announced that Mark Papermaster will join the Mac maker as senior vice president of devices hardware engineering and report directly to CEO Steve Jobs. Papermaster brings 25 years of product and technology experience from IBM, where he served as an engineering executive.

“Mark is a seasoned leader and is going to be an excellent addition to our senior management team,” Jobs said. “[Vice Presidents] Tony [Fadell] and Dani [Lambert] have each made crucial contributions to Apple by the past eight years. We’re sorry to see Dani go, and are looking forward to working with Tony in his new capacity.”

Brokering a Smooth Transition

Apple’s goal for

Papermaster is to ensure a smooth transition in its critical iPod and iPhone teams in the wake of Fadell stepping aside.

According to Apple, Fadell, Apple’s senior vice president of the iPod division, and his wife Danielle Lambert, vice president of human resources, are reducing their roles within the company to devote more duration to their young family. Fadell will remain at Apple as an adviser to Jobs. Lambert will depart the company at the end of that year after a successor is in place.

“Other than CEO Steve Jobs, it is difficult to think of an executive in the firmament of Apple computer with more public recognition than Fadell,” said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. “Not only did he bring the original concept of the iPod to Apple, which essentially changed both the company’s face and its business model, but he was plus part of the executive team…

Original post by dhiram