Tim Cook Is Giving Up The Reins at Apple

Tim Cook and John Ternus at Apple Park. | Apple

Tim Cook has announced that he will step down as the CEO of Apple on September 1, handing over the reins to Apple’s head of hardware engineering, John Ternus as he transitions to the role of executive chairman.

The announcement marks the end of a nearly 15-year run at the helm of Apple, which Cook took over from Steve Jobs in 2011. Cook has been at the company since 1998. He will remain in his current role through the summer to transition Ternus as the new CEO — a move that was approved unanimously by Apple’s 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. 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 who have been unwavering in their dedication to enriching the lives of our customers and creating the best products and services in the world,” Cook says.

“John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honor. 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. I could not be more confident in his abilities and his character, and I look forward to working closely with him on this transition and in my new role as executive chairman.”

Ternus joined Apple’s product design team in 2001 and became a vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2013. He joined Apple’s executive team in 2021 as senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.

“I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple’s mission forward. Having spent almost my entire career at Apple, I have been lucky to have worked under Steve Jobs and to have had Tim Cook as my 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,” Ternus says.

“I am filled with optimism about what we can achieve in the years to come, and I am so happy to know that the most talented people on earth are here at Apple, determined to be part of something bigger than any one of us. 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.”