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Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, John Ternus, is set to take over as CEO of the technology maker later this year after current CEO Tim Cook announced Monday that he will step down.
Cook will transition to executive chairman of the company’s board of directors. The company said the change followed a “thoughtful, long-term succession planning process” and was unanimously approved by the board of directors.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to be CEO of Apple and I am trusted to lead such an amazing company,” Cook said in a statement.
“I’ve loved Apple for the rest of my life, and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such a smart, creative, creative and deeply caring team of people who have been unwavering in their commitment to enriching our customers’ lives and creating world-leading products and services,” he added.
APPLE CEO TIM COOK IS GOING DOWN IN A HUGE LEADERSHIP SHOCK, A FAN.
John Ternus will become Apple’s CEO on September 1, 2026, as Tim Cook transitions to Apple’s Executive Chairman. (Reuters / Reuters)
The leadership shake-up marks the first change at the company’s chief executive in 15 years, with Cook replacing Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.
Ternus will take over as CEO on September 1, leading the company into its next phase of innovation. He will also join the board of directors when he takes up the role.
“I am very grateful for this opportunity to advance Apple’s mission,” said Ternus in a statement. “Having spent almost my entire career at Apple, I was fortunate to work under Steve Jobs and have Tim Cook as my mentor. It has been an honor to help shape products and experiences that have dramatically changed the way we interact with the world and each other.”
He joined Apple’s product design team in 2001 and became vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2013. Eight years later, he joined the executive team as senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, where he has overseen work on many of the company’s flagship products across the iPhone, Mac, iPad, AirPods and Apple Watch.
Ternus recently led the team behind the new MacBook Neo and the redesigned iPhone 17. Apple credits his leadership with driving improvements to AirPods, including active noise cancellation and capabilities that enable them to work as a comprehensive hearing health system, including over-the-counter hearing aid features.
Additionally, he has led efforts focused on durability, materials innovation, and sustainability, including the use of recycled aluminum and new manufacturing techniques. Ternus also played a key role in Apple’s transition to in-house silicon.
John Ternus will take over as CEO of Apple on September 1 (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Getty Images)
“I am full of hope for what we can achieve in the coming years, and I am very happy to know that the most talented people in the world are here at Apple, who are determined to be part of something bigger than any of us,” he said. “I am humbled to step into this role, and I promise to lead with the values and vision that have defined this special place for 50 years.”
Before joining Apple, Ternus worked as a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research Systems. He received a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
Cook praised Ternus as having “the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and respect.”
“He is a visionary whose contributions to Apple over 25 years are already too numerous to count, and without a doubt he is the right person to lead Apple into the future,” Cook said. “I could not be more confident in his abilities and his background, and I look forward to working with him in this transition and in my new role as executive chairman.”
Apple shares dipped slightly – less than 1% – in after-hours trading after news of the leadership ouster, which some analysts said was not surprising.
“This change shouldn’t come as a shock, as Cook is in his retirement years and Ternus has been talked about as a successor,” Jacob Bourne, a technical analyst at EMARKETER, told Reuters. “Cook staying on as CEO until September before continuing as executive chairman should provide some reassurance to investors as markets react negatively to the near-term uncertainty.”
LEADERSHIP CHANGE IN THE APPLE SPARKS INDUSTRY AND WALL STREET REACTIONS AS TWO CHANGE TO COOK
Tim Cook said “it has been the greatest honor of my life to be the CEO of Apple.” (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Getty Images)
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Rick Meckler, a partner at Cherry Lane Investments, told the outlet that “it’s not surprising that the initial reaction is that the stock is a little bit lower.”
B’s chief market strategist. Riley Wealth’s Art Hogan also said that Cook “will never leave if the numbers are going to be bad, so I think that’s an important thing.”
“They’re about to report the numbers, and you know they’re going to be good,” he added. “You know the direction is going to be good. And you know we’re going to start hearing more about how they’re going to use artificial intelligence to improve their products.”
Ternus will take over Apple at a time when it is facing antitrust scrutiny around the world. This includes a landmark lawsuit brought by the US Department of Justice and more than a dozen states, alleging that Apple maintained an illegal monopoly by using its control over the iPhone to prevent competition. Governments in Europe and Asia are also seeking to punish Apple for allegedly abusing its dominant position in the industry.
