Apple is about to enter a new era. After one of the most consequential runs in tech history, a leadership transition is underway at the world’s most valuable company, and the name set to succeed its longtime chief is one that has been quietly shaping Apple’s products for decades.
Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple’s CEO, with John Ternus confirmed as his successor. The handover takes effect September 1, 2026, following a unanimous board vote. Cook, 65, moves into an executive chairman role, while Ternus steps up as chief executive.
Cook, who joined Apple in 1998 and took the top job in August 2011 following Steve Jobs‘ death, oversaw the company’s expansion into streaming, music and wearables. In a statement, he said:
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.
Ternus, 50, has spent nearly his entire career at Apple, joining the product design team in 2001 before rising to SVP of Hardware Engineering in 2021. He has been credited as instrumental in the development of iPad, AirPods, iPhone and Apple Watch. Ternus said:
“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.”
Cook, speaking about his successor, praised Ternus as someone who “has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity.” Also on September 1, current non-executive chairman Arthur Levinson transitions to lead independent director, with Ternus joining the board the same day.