Tim Cook Steps Down As Apple CEO, John Ternus Named Successor
Tim Cook, 65, will remain with Apple as executive chairman, continuing to support the company’s leadership.
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Tim Cook will step down as Apple’s Chief Executive Officer on 1 September, ending a tenure of nearly 15 years that saw the company’s market value rise dramatically.
John Ternus, currently Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, will assume the CEO role.
Cook, 65, will remain with Apple as executive chairman, continuing to support the company’s leadership and strategic direction.
As reported by Hindustan Times, John Ternus will officially take over as CEO just before Apple’s annual iPhone keynote in September. Ternus, 50, has spent nearly his entire career at Apple and is credited with significant contributions to the company’s hardware portfolio, including the MacBook, iPad, iPhone Air, and Mac Studio. Cook described his time as CEO as “the greatest privilege of my life.”
As highlighted by Deccan Herald, his promotion signals a continued focus on hardware innovation as Apple navigates industry changes driven by artificial intelligence and competition from companies like Nvidia and Meta Platforms.
As noted in an article by Financial Express, Cook’s decision to step down comes amid a period of slower growth in some product lines and increased competition in artificial intelligence.
Apple’s Vision Pro headset, released in 2024, did not meet expectations, and the company has faced challenges in China and with executive turnover. Cook will continue to engage with policymakers in his new role as executive chairman.
“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company. I love Apple with all of my being, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with a team of such ingenious, innovative, creative, and deeply caring people,” Cook stated in his memo to employees.
Further details show that Cook will remain CEO through the summer to ensure a smooth transition, working closely with Ternus. In his memo, Cook emphasised Apple’s core values and expressed optimism about the company’s future under Ternus’ leadership.
Apple’s official announcement, as analysis showed, marks a shift from Cook’s supply-chain expertise to Ternus’ product and design focus. Ternus is expected to lead Apple through the next phase of technological innovation, including new hardware categories and advancements in artificial intelligence.
“John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honour. He is a visionary whose contributions to Apple over 25 years are already too numerous to count, and he is without question the right person to lead Apple into the future,” Cook said in his statement.
Reporting indicated that under Cook, Apple became the first company to reach $1 trillion, $2 trillion, and $3 trillion in market capitalisation, with annual revenue growing from $108 billion in 2011 to over $394 billion in 2024.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.