Apple announces new CEO as Tim Cook assumes new role

Apple has announced that Tim Cook will transition from CEO to Executive Chairman, with Hardware Engineering chief John Ternus stepping up as the new Chief Executive Officer, both effective September 1, 2026.

Tech giant Apple has announced the appointment of a new chief executive officer, while the former CEO becomes the executive chairman of its Board of Directors.

Both appointments are effective 1 September. According to a press release by Apple, the decision was approved unanimously by the Board of Directors.

Mr Cook will continue to serve as CEO and work closely with Mr Ternus to ensure a smooth transition. Mr Ternus, on the other hand, will assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers worldwide.

Reacting to the announcement, Mr Cook said he loves Apple with all his being and is grateful for the opportunity to work with “caring” people.

“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 Mr Cook.

Speaking about Mr Ternus’s appointment, Mr Cook said his successor has the “soul of an innovator” and has given over two decades to Apple.

“John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honour. 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.”

Mr Ternus, on the other hand, hailed the privilege of having worked under Steve Jobs and Tim Cook, who is his mentor.

“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. 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.”

Tim Cook was born in Alabama in 1960. He trained as an industrial engineer before earning an MBA from Duke University. After spending years at IBM and Compaq, he joined Apple Inc. in 1998, when the company was still finding its footing. Mr Cook transformed Apple’s global supply chain and rose to the position of Chief Operating Officer, becoming one of Steve Jobs’ most trusted lieutenants.

When he took over as CEO in 2011 following Mr Jobs’ death, there were doubts about whether an operations expert could fill such a visionary role. Instead, Mr Cook steered Apple into its most financially successful era, expanding its ecosystem with products like the Apple Watch and AirPods, while doubling down on services, privacy, and sustainability. After nearly 15 years at the helm, he is set to step aside in 2026, marking the end of a defining chapter in Apple’s modern history.

His successor, John Ternus, was born in 1975. Trained as a mechanical engineer, Ternus joined Apple in 2001 and steadily worked his way through the hardware ranks. Over two decades, he became a central figure behind the development of the iPhone, Mac, iPad, and other flagship devices, eventually rising to Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering.

Unlike Mr Cook’s operations-driven path, Mr Ternus is known internally as a hands-on builder, someone shaped by Apple’s design culture and long product cycles. His appointment as CEO signals continuity, but also a subtle shift back toward engineering at the core of Apple’s leadership.