Apple CEO Tim Cook to step down, John Ternus named successor

Apple announced on Monday that Tim Cook will step down as chief executive officer on September 1. John Ternus, currently the senior vice president of hardware engineering, will succeed him as CEO on that date and will also join Apple’s board of directors. Cook is set to remain at the company as executive chairman—a role where an outgoing executive continues to lead the board of directors and advise management. Additionally, Arthur Levinson, who has served as Apple’s non-executive chairman for the past 15 years, will transition to lead independent director on September 1, a position designed to provide strong independent board leadership.

Cook’s departure from the CEO role concludes an era that began in 2011. He took over the position six weeks before co-founder Steve Jobs died of pancreatic cancer, inheriting a company that many struggled to separate from its founder. Under Cook’s leadership, Apple grew into a $4 trillion business. Cook expanded the company’s reach by building out its services and wearables divisions:

• Apple Services now exceeds $100 billion in annual revenue.
• The Apple Watch accounted for roughly 25% of global smartwatch sales last year. Reflecting on his time, Cook called serving as Apple’s CEO the greatest privilege of his life, expressing deep gratitude for the opportunity to work with a dedicated and creative team. Cook, a native of Mobile, Alabama, who spent 12 years at IBM before arriving in Cupertino in 1998, originally joined Apple to fix its supply chain, eventually turning its manufacturing operations into a competitive advantage.

The incoming CEO, John Ternus, is 51 years old and has spent nearly his entire career at Apple, making him a familiar figure in Silicon Valley. After graduating in 1997, Ternus joined Apple in 2001, rising to vice president of hardware engineering in 2013 and senior vice president in 2021, succeeding Dan Riccio. Ternus has been a key contributor to major product lines, including the iPad, AirPods, Mac, and Apple Watch. He now inherits both a hardware ecosystem and ongoing challenges, such as the Apple Vision Pro, a mixed-reality headset that weighs more than a pound and has struggled to find mainstream consumer adoption. Ternus noted that he was fortunate to work under Jobs and have Cook as a mentor, adding that he is humbled by the role and promises to lead with the company’s long-standing values and vision. Cook, the outgoing CEO, endorsed his successor, stating, “He is without question the right person to lead Apple into the future.”

The board of directors expressed strong support for the new leadership structure. Arthur Levinson, speaking on behalf of the board, described Cook’s leadership as unprecedented and outstanding, stating that Cook’s integrity and values are deeply integrated into Apple’s operations. Levinson added that the board is pleased Cook will remain with the company as executive chairman.

Why it matters

The transition marks the end of Tim Cook’s long tenure as CEO, during which he grew Apple into a $4 trillion business, and signals a leadership shift to John Ternus, who has been a key contributor to major product lines.