Blog
Tim Cook to step down as Apple CEO
Tim Cook will step down as CEO of Apple at the end of August, Apple has announced. Senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus will become CEO on 1 September.
Cook became CEO Apple in August 2011, succeeding Steve Jobs. Like Jobs, who resigned as CEO and became chairman of the board, Cook is not leaving the company altogether and will continue as executive chairman of the board.
He will work with Ternus over the next few months on a smooth transition, said the company. Ternus’ appointment was approved unanimously by the board of directors.
“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,” said Cook. “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 . . . John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honour,” he continued.
Ternus joined Apple in 2001 as part of the product design team. He was formerly a mechanical engineer at from Virtual Research Systems. He became vice president of hardware engineering in 2013, working under Steve Jobs and with Tim Cook as a mentor.
“It has been a privilege to help shape the products and experiences that have changed so much of how we interact with the world and with one another,” he said. “I am filled with optimism about what we can achieve in the years to come. . . I am humbled to step into this role, and I promise to lead with the values and vision that have come to define this special place for half a century.”
Ternus joined the executive team in 2021 as senior vice president of hardware engineering. He was instrumental in introducing the iPad product and AirPods as well as subsequent generations of iPhones and Apple Watches.
He is credited with raising the popularity of the Apple Mac to a 40-year high, including the introduction of the MacBook Neohe and redefining the iPhone portfolio with the the iPhone 17 being hailed as “an incredible upgrade for users”. He also led the AirPod team, with active noise cancellation and enabling them to be used as over-the-counter hearing aids.
He has also driven innovations in materials and hardware design to reduce carbon footprint, said Apple, including a recycled aluminum compound used across multiple product lines, 3D printed titanium in Apple Watch Ultra 3, and repairability to increase the lifespan of products.
