Who is John Ternus, Apple’s next CEO?

After 15 years at the helm, Tim Cook is set to hand over the CEO role at Apple to John Ternus, the company’s senior vice president of hardware engineering. Beginning September 1, Ternus will take charge of one of the world’s most valuable companies. Outside of Apple circles, however, he has largely remained a low-profile figure until now.

How long has John Ternus worked at Apple?

Apple’s incoming CEO, John Ternus, has spent nearly half his life at the company. Now 51 years old, he has been with Apple for about 25 years.

He joined Apple in 2001 as part of the product design team, making it only his second job after working at a small virtual-reality hardware company called Virtual Research Systems. Over time, he steadily moved up the ranks, s—becoming vice president of hardware engineering by 2013 and later being promoted to senior vice president in 2021.

Ternus, who is about 15 years younger than Tim Cook, was among the younger executives often discussed as potential successors, reflecting Apple’s preference for long-term leadership continuity. The company has had only two CEOs in this century, underscoring its focus on stability at the top.

He currently reports directly to Cook, whom he considers a man. He oversees Apple’s entire hardware engineering division—a critical role for a company defined by products like the iPhone and MacBook.

In a 2024 commencement speech at the University of Pennsylvania’s engineering school, Ternus offered insight into his mindset:

“Always assume you’re as smart as anyone else in the room, but never assume that you know as much as they do,” he said. “With this mindset, you’ll find the confidence you need to push forward, but more importantly, the humility to ask questions.”

Known for his quiet, reserved public persona, Ternus also does not appear to maintain an active presence on X (formerly Twitter).

What projects did John Ternus lead at Apple?

One of Ternus’ earliest assignments involved inspecting components for the Apple Cinema Display, an early desktop monitor. He once recalled spending long nights at supplier facilities early in his career, including a moment where he used a magnifying glass to inspect screws: “At some point in my first year, I found myself at a supplier facility… I was using a magnifying glass to count the number of grooves on a screw head… I distinctly remember stepping back and thinking, ‘What the hell am I doing? Is this normal?”

As his career advanced, Ternus took on increasingly major responsibilities. He later helped oversee hardware development across key Apple product lines, including AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple’s mixed-reality headset Vision Pro.

He also played a role in Apple’s transition from Intel processors to its own Apple silicon chips, one of the most important shifts in the company’s modern hardware strategy. More recently, Ternus contributed to the development of the MacBook Neo. This more affordable MacBook model uses design trade-offs such as leveraging iPhone chips to reduce costs while maintaining performance.

“We never want to ship junk. We want to ship great products that have that Apple experience, that Apple quality,” he told Tom’s Guide. As CEO, Ternus will now face major challenges, including Apple’s position in the artificial intelligence race and the Vision Pro platform's future direction.

What else do we know about John Ternus?

Ternus studied mechanical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was also part of the varsity swim team. For his senior project, he built a head-controlled feeding arm designed to help people with quadriplegia.

Public records show he made a $2,900 political donation to Senator Chuck Schumer in 2021. Beyond that, Ternus has largely kept a private profile, maintaining a reputation as one of Apple’s most understated senior executives.