Italian automotive manufacturer Ferrari has just announced a surprising addition — Eddy Cue, Apple's Senior VP of internet software and services, has joined the company's board of directors. This marks the latest new responsibility for Cue, who is also taking over as Apple's lead in iOS 6 Maps and Siri following the departure of Scott Forstall. "I have personally dreamed of owning a Ferrari since I was 8 years old and have been lucky to be an owner for the past 5 years," Cue said in a statement. "I continue to be awed by the world-class design and engineering that only Ferrari can do."

Cue's new role represents a bit of a change in culture at Apple — under Steve Jobs, most employees did not take positions on other companies' boards. One notable exception was current CEO Tim Cook, who joined Nike's board of directors back in 2005. While there's no indication that Cue's new position will lead to any work between the companies, Cook met with Ferrari chairman and president Luca di Montezemolo earlier this year. Despite the apparent friendly relationship between the companies, we wouldn't hold our breath for any direct Apple / Ferrari collaborations. But, we might see more Apple executives joining the boards of other companies now that Cook has apparently given his blessing for his team to take advantage of these opportunities.