Apple CEO Tim Cook steps down, John Ternus to take over the reins

Apple today announced that Tim Cook is officially stepping down as the company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on September 1, 2026. Cook will transition to the position of executive chairman of the board, and Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, will take over as CEO. The company says the move is part of a long-term succession plan and has been approved unanimously by the board.

Tim Cook will not step down immediately; however, he will continue to collaborate with John Ternus over the summer to ensure a successful transition of Apple to new leadership. Tim Cook has held the CEO position since 2011. Under his leadership, Apple has achieved several monumental milestones, including becoming the world's most valuable company with a valuation of $4 trillion in 2026.

Ternus has also been a key figure in the Apple hierarchy for a long time and has led Apple's hardware engineering department since 2021. He joined Apple in 2001 as part of the design team and then became Vice President of Hardware Engineering in 2013. Currently, his team manages hardware products such as the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, Apple Vision Pro, and AirPods.

Ternus has recently gained prominence within Apple, taking on a key role in several high-profile launches. Crucially, he led the major transition of Apple's products to Apple Silicon, a huge undertaking even for a company the size of Apple. His role in recent launches seems to have won him favor with the board, which sees him as the perfect replacement for Tim Cook.

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This transition at the top of the corporate ladder is not the only change that Apple announced today. Johny Srouji, who served as Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies, has been named Apple's Chief Hardware Officer. Tom Maireb, currently the Hardware Vice President in charge of Product Integrity, will take on the role of Head of Engineering, previously held by John Ternus.

Tim Cook joined Apple in 1998 and became CEO in 2011. He oversaw Apple's meteoric rise to become the world's highest-revenue-generating company, with annual revenue growing from $108 billion in 2011 to more than $416 billion in 2025. Whatever you think of Apple as a company, there is no doubt that Cook's tenure as CEO will be remembered as a resounding success.