The Tim Cook era at Apple is coming to an end: Apple’s long-serving CEO will hand over the reins on 1 September to the former head of hardware, John Ternus, whose responsibilities will in turn be handed over to Johny Srouji. Cook will remain at Apple as Executive Chairman.
John Ternus has big shoes to fill. The current Vice President of Hardware Engineering will become Apple’s new CEO on 1 September. Ternus will thus succeed Tim Cook, who will step down from day-to-day management at the same time to take on the role of Executive Chairman.
Cook himself once had big shoes to fill when he stood in for company founder and visionary Steve Jobs during the latter’s serious illness and was appointed CEO permanently following his death. At the time, many experts doubted whether Cook would be able to replace Jobs. Cook had, in fact, never pretended to be a second Jobs, but instead forged his own path, which led Apple to new heights.
“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,” said Cook. “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.”
“I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple’s mission forward,” said Ternus. “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. 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.”
In his new role as Executive Chairman, Cook will not only be able to offer advice to his successor, Ternus, at any time, but will also support Apple in various areas, such as in its engagement with policymakers.
Ternus has been part of the Apple family since 2001 and has served as Vice President of Hardware Engineering since 2013. He has been a member of the executive team since 2021. According to the company, during his years at Apple he played a key role in the launch of various product lines, such as the iPad and AirPods, as well as numerous generations of the iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch.
Ternus’s successor as head of hardware has also already been appointed. Johny Srouji, currently Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies, has been appointed to the newly created role of Chief Hardware Officer with immediate effect.
