Over seven months since the position was first vacated, Apple has finally appointed a new head of retail, with John Browett, former CEO of UK company Dixons Retail, named in the role.

Browett faces a drop in the number of stores under his control, from over 1200 to 361. However, he still has a big job ahead of him, particularly overseeing Apple's retail push into China, where the launch of the iPhone 4S was recently derailed as hundreds of people attempted to buy the devices in order to on-sell them to scalpers.

He will also need to find a way to keep Apple's stores relevant in the face of tight economic conditions and a growing acceptance of online shopping.

Browett takes over from Ron Johnson, who served in the role for 11 years and is credited with pioneering Apple's unique and highly successful retail strategy.