Former Apple executive Carl Smit joins DroneUp as Chief Strategy Officer

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DroneUp announced that former Apple executive Carl Smit has joined the company as the new Chief Strategy Officer. In this role, Smit will advise the CEO Tom Walker and the senior leadership team.

Former Apple executive Carl Smit joins DroneUp as Chief Strategy Officer

Smit will advise the CEO Tom Walker and the senior leadership team to set DroneUp’s strategic direction, focusing on growing the company’s retail drone delivery portfolio and capabilities. Reporting to Walker, Smit will also oversee corporate development initiatives, including mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and joint ventures.

“Carl brings an exceptional combination of business acumen and strategic insights to the Chief Strategy Officer role,” Walker said. “His experience in global retail, product development, and innovation will be invaluable as we continue our record growth. I look forward to Carl’s counsel and having him as part of our senior leadership team as we continue our leadership position in the retail drone delivery market.”

Smit has extensive experience. He began his career as a U.S. Navy SEAL, and out of the military, Smit quickly transitioned into retail, where he spent nearly a decade at Apple. Smit negotiated the first iPod, and the iPhone retail accessory line launched Apple Retail in China and managed its global retail iPhone business. Smit left Apple shortly after Steve Job’s death to help Under Armour develop its worldwide retail and wholesale go-to-market strategy. Smit transitioned to Verizon as the Vice President of Retail Experience, spending his time focused on Verizon’s future-of-retail. Smit has recently been an independent consultant helping private equity firms assess consumer electronics and retail investments with an eye towards retail innovation.

Former Apple Executive Carl Smit Joins Droneup As Chief Strategy Officer 1

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Haye Kesteloo
Haye Kesteloo

Haye Kesteloo is a leading drone industry expert and Editor in Chief of DroneXL.co and EVXL.co, where he covers drone technology, industry developments, and electric mobility trends. With over nine years of specialized coverage in unmanned aerial systems, his insights have been featured in The New York Times, The Financial Times, and cited by The Brookings Institute, Foreign Policy, Politico and others.

Before founding DroneXL.co, Kesteloo built his expertise at DroneDJ. He currently co-hosts the PiXL Drone Show on YouTube and podcast platforms, sharing industry insights with a global audience. His reporting has influenced policy discussions and been referenced in federal documents, establishing him as an authoritative voice in drone technology and regulation. He can be reached at haye @ dronexl.co or @hayekesteloo.

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