Apple says John Ternus will be new CEO, Tim Cook to step aside
Apple appoints hardware engineering veteran John Ternus as its next CEO, while Tim Cook transitions to executive chairman.
Apple has announced that John Ternus will become the company's next chief executive officer on 1 September, marking the first leadership transition for the iPhone maker since 2011.
Tim Cook, who has led the company for nearly 15 years, will move into the role of executive chairman.
The transition follows a long-term succession planning process approved unanimously by Apple's board.
The leadership change comes at a pivotal moment as Apple faces a complex global landscape, including geopolitical tensions, new tariffs, and a high-stakes pivot toward artificial intelligence.
Tim Cook's tenure has been defined by unprecedented financial growth, with Apple's market cap increasing roughly 24-fold to reach $4 trillion.
Since succeeding Steve Jobs, Cook has overseen the rollout of the Apple Watch, AirPods, and the Vision Pro, while nearly quadrupling annual revenue to over $400 billion.
Best known as an "operations guru," Cook revamped Apple's supply chain after joining in 1998, helping save the company from near bankruptcy.
Beyond operations, he has acted as a public statesman, navigating privacy clashes with the FBI and lobbying for tariff exemptions.
Most recently, Cook has worked to align with the Trump administration, committing to a $600 billion investment in the US over the next five years.
Ternus and the AI Frontier
John Ternus, currently the Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, has spent 25 years at Apple—roughly half his life.
A mechanical engineering graduate from the University of Pennsylvania, Ternus has overseen the hardware teams behind almost every major product line, from the iPhone to the Mac and Vision Pro.
As Ternus prepares to become Apple's eighth CEO, his most critical challenge will be to push the company further into generative AI.
Apple faced criticism for lagging behind megacap peers, recently revamping its AI leadership and delaying key Siri upgrades.
The company confirmed it will launch an updated Siri this year, powered by Google's Gemini model, a move Ternus will be expected to scale.
Executive reshuffle
In tandem with the CEO transition, Johny Srouji has been named Chief Hardware Officer effective immediately.
Srouji, previously the head of hardware technologies, will now also lead hardware engineering, taking over the organisation formerly overseen by Ternus.
Additionally, long-time chairman Arthur Levinson will transition to the role of lead independent director.
Cook will remain CEO through the summer to ensure a smooth handover.
"It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple," Cook said, noting he will work closely with Ternus as the company navigates its next chapter.