Apple's Tim Cook fetches $610,000 in coffee meeting auction

A coffee date with Apple Inc Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook fetched $610,000 for charity, according to press reports.

An online auction generated 86 bids for the meeting at Apple’s Cupertino, California, headquarters with Cook, who is raising money for the Robert F Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, CNN reported yesterday.

Charitybuzz.com, which organised the bidding, had estimated the event would raise $50,000. Glenda Felden, a spokeswoman for Charitybuzz, said the group would put out a statement with details about the winning bid after it had coordinated with all of the parties involved.

Taking a cue from billionaire investor Warren Buffett, business leaders such as Cook and Starbucks Corp CEO Howard Schultz are auctioning their time for charity. Buffett last year raised $3.46 million for the Glide Foundation.

The winning bidder, who can bring a guest along, will meet Cook for 30 minutes to an hour. Travel and accommodations aren’t covered for the trip.

The Robert F Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights was founded in 1968, with the aim of helping realise the senator’s vision for “a more just and peaceful world,” according to its website. Cook succeeded Apple co-founder Steve Jobs as CEO in 2011.