Apple has announced that John Ternus will become the company’s next chief executive officer on 1 September, marking the first leadership transition for the iPhone maker since 2011.
Tim Cook, who has led the company for nearly 15 years, will move into the role of executive chairman.
The transition follows a long-term succession planning process approved unanimously by Apple’s board.
The leadership change comes at a pivotal moment as Apple faces a complex global landscape, including geopolitical tensions, new tariffs, and a high-stakes pivot toward artificial intelligence.
Tim Cook’s tenure has been defined by unprecedented financial growth, with Apple’s market cap increasing roughly 24-fold to reach $4 trillion.
Since succeeding Steve Jobs, Cook has overseen the rollout of the Apple Watch, AirPods, and the Vision Pro, while nearly quadrupling annual revenue to over $400 billion.
Best known as an “operations guru,” Cook revamped Apple’s supply chain after joining in 1998, helping save the company from near bankruptcy.
Beyond operations, he has acted as a public statesman, navigating privacy clashes with the FBI and lobbying for tariff exemptions.
Most recently, Cook has worked to align with the Trump administration, committing to a $600 billion investment in the US over the next five years.
Ternus and the AI Frontier