Tim Cook to step down as Apple CEO, John Ternus set to assume leadership

Apple announced on Monday afternoon that Tim Cook will step down as chief executive officer, a role he has held since 2011, succeeding the late Steve Jobs. Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering John Ternus will take over as CEO effective September 1 of this year.

Cook will continue in the role of executive chairman at Apple, while Ternus will also join the company's board of directors. At the same time, Arthur Levinson, who has served as Apple's non-executive chairman for the past 15 years, will transition into the role of lead independent director, also beginning September 1.

The leadership transition marks the end of one of the most significant CEO tenures in modern corporate history. Cook took over Apple during a period of uncertainty following Steve Jobs' death from pancreatic cancer, just weeks after Jobs officially stepped down. Since then, Apple has grown into a multi-trillion-dollar company with annual revenue more than quadrupling under Cook's leadership.

In a statement, Cook reflected on his time at the company, calling it "the greatest privilege" of his life. He expressed gratitude for working alongside Apple's teams, describing them as innovative, creative, and deeply committed to improving customers' lives.

Cook originally joined Apple in 1998, recruited by Jobs to fix the company's struggling supply chain. With a background in operations and logistics from his time at IBM and other firms, Cook rapidly overhauled Apple's manufacturing systems, closing inefficient warehouses and streamlining its supplier network. His operational improvements are widely credited with turning Apple's supply chain into a major competitive advantage.

Although Cook was not initially seen as a likely successor to Jobs, he gradually became the natural choice after repeatedly stepping in during Jobs' medical leaves in 2004, 2009, and 2011. When Jobs formally passed the role to him, Cook was already running much of the company's day-to-day operations.

Under his leadership, Apple expanded aggressively into new product categories and services. The company noted that its Services division has grown into a business exceeding $100 billion annually. Apple also credited Cook with helping build the wearables segment, including the Apple Watch, which now accounts for a significant share of global smartwatch sales.

However, not all initiatives under Cook were universally successful. One of the most notable setbacks was the Apple Vision Pro, a mixed-reality headset that failed to achieve mainstream consumer adoption due to its high price and niche appeal.

Despite such challenges, Cook's tenure is widely regarded as a period of sustained financial and operational success, with Apple evolving into one of the world's most valuable companies.

Board member Arthur Levinson praised Cook's leadership, calling it "unprecedented and outstanding" and stating that his values are deeply embedded in Apple's culture. Levinson added that the board is pleased Cook will remain involved as executive chairman.

John Ternus, who will become CEO, has spent nearly his entire professional career at Apple. He joined the company in 2001 after early experience in virtual reality engineering and quickly rose through the ranks of Apple's hardware division. By 2013, he was vice president of hardware engineering, and in 202,1 he was promoted to senior vice president, becoming one of the youngest members of Apple's executive leadership team.

Ternus has played a key role in the development of major Apple products, including the iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, and iPad. Apple credits him with contributing to hardware innovations across multiple product generations and with improving durability, repairability, and environmental sustainability in product design.

He has also overseen manufacturing improvements, such as adopting recycled materials, including aluminium alloys used across Apple devices, and has worked to extend product lifespans through improved repairability.

In his statement, Ternus said he was honoured to take on the role and emphasised his long association with Apple's leadership culture. He noted that he had the privilege of working under both Steve Jobs and Tim Cook, and pledged to lead the company in line with its long-standing values.

Cook, in turn, expressed strong confidence in his successor, describing Ternus as a leader with engineering expertise, innovation-driven thinking, and integrity. He said Ternus is "without question the right person to lead Apple into the future."