Apple to get a new CEO after 15 years: Tim Cook will hand over leadership to John Ternus on September 1, 2026.
Apple has announced that Tim Cook will step down as CEO on September 1, 2026, and will be succeeded by John Ternus, who is currently Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. The board of directors unanimously approved the transition.
New face
Cook will remain in charge at Apple until the end of the summer to prepare for the transition. In his new role as Executive Chairman, Cook will focus primarily on strategic decisions.
I am honored to take on this role and I promise to lead based on the values and vision that have characterized this special place for half a century.
John Ternus, future CEO of Apple
Ternus has been with Apple since 2001 and became Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering in 2021. He was involved in the development of the iPad, AirPods, iPhone, Mac and the recently announced MacBook Neo. He will also join the board of directors on September 1.
Tim Cook’s legacy
Cook joined Apple in 1998 and succeeded Steve Jobs as CEO in 2011. Under his leadership, market capitalization grew from approximately $350 billion to $4 trillion, an increase of more than one thousand percent. Annual revenue rose from $108 billion in 2011 to more than $416 billion in 2025. He also introduced new products such as Apple Watch and the less successful Vision Pro.