Apple's top M&A exec is a director of the Uber of China
At the time, Apple officials, including CEO Tim Cook, said the investment would help Apple better understand the Chinese market, and would deliver a strong return on capital.
It turns out Apple got one other thing from the deal: a seat on Didi Chuxing's board. Adrian Perica, Apple's vice president in charge of M&A, has joined Didi Chuxing's board, according to a report from The Information.
He joins representatives from other investors on Didi's board, including representatives from Tencent and Alibaba.
Earlier this year, a Didi spokesperson had said that Apple would not be joining Didi's board of directors, Dan Primack reported.
Apple's investment in Didi has been seen as a way to placate Chinese regulators who are often defensive towards foreign technology companies.
But the tie-up is also closely watched because Apple is working on a self-driving car and some believe that the investment in Didi could develop into a future partnership centered around emerging car technology.