Photo: EPA
The new leader has worked at the company for more than 25 years.
Starting on September 1, 2026, John Ternus will become Chief Executive Officer of Apple, while Tim Cook will transition to the role of Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. The decision was unanimously approved by the board after a lengthy succession planning process. The transition will take place over the summer, with Cook and Ternus working together to ensure continuity of leadership, the company announced on its official website.
Apple stated that Tim Cook will remain CEO until the end of the summer, after which he will officially move into his new role. As Executive Chairman, he will focus, among other things, on engagement with governments and policymakers worldwide. At the same time, John Ternus will join the company’s board of directors.
“This has been the greatest honor of my life — to serve as Apple’s CEO and to have the privilege of leading such an extraordinary company. I love Apple with all my heart, and I am deeply grateful to have worked with such innovative, creative, and deeply caring people who are unwavering in their commitment to enriching our customers’ lives and creating the best products and services in the world,” Cook said.
Introducing his successor, John Ternus, Cook described him as a visionary with an engineering mindset who has made an invaluable contribution to the company’s growth over 25 years. Cook expressed full confidence that Ternus is the right person to lead Apple into the future.
“John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and honor,” the outgoing CEO added.
For his part, John Ternus thanked Apple for the opportunity to continue its mission and noted that throughout his career he was fortunate to learn from Steve Jobs and have Tim Cook as a mentor. He pledged to uphold the values and vision that have defined Apple for the past fifty years and expressed optimism about the company’s future achievements.
“It is a great honor for me to take on this role, and I promise to be guided by the values and vision that have defined this special place for half a century,” Ternus said.
Board Chairman Art Levinson praised Cook’s outstanding leadership, which transformed Apple into the world’s most valuable company, and emphasized that his values are embedded in every product. The board unanimously supported Ternus, considering him the best leader due to his deep technical expertise and focus on building exceptional products.
“I want to thank Art Levinson for the incredible work he has done leading the board over the past 15 years. I have always valued his advice, and I appreciate his attentiveness and unwavering dedication to the company. I am grateful that he will remain our lead independent director, and I look forward to working with him in my new role,” Cook concluded.
Tim Cook has been with Apple since 1998 and has served as CEO since 2011. During his tenure, the company’s market capitalization grew from about $350 billion to $4 trillion, while revenue nearly quadrupled. Apple also expanded its presence to more than 200 countries and increased active devices worldwide to over 2.5 billion.
Under Cook’s leadership, Apple developed new product categories, including Apple Watch, AirPods, and Vision Pro, as well as services such as iCloud and Apple Pay. The company also placed strong emphasis on privacy, accessibility, and reducing its carbon footprint, which has decreased by more than 60% compared to 2015.
John Ternus has worked at Apple since 2001 and has been part of the executive team since 2021 as Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. He has been responsible for the development of key products, including the iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch, as well as advancements in materials, durability, and environmental sustainability.
