Apple CEO Tim Cook to step down

• Tim Cook has been Apple CEO for nearly 15 years.
• Apple senior VP of hardware engineering John Ternus, who has been with the firm since 2001, will replace Cook as chief exec.
• Apple non-executive chairman Arthur Levinson will become the firm’s lead independent director.

Apple CEO Tim Cook will step down from the role after nearly 15 years in the top job, the tech giant has announced.

Cook will continue in the role through the summer before becoming executive chairman. Apple said he will assist with “certain aspects of the company”, including engaging with policymakers across the globe.

Apple senior VP of hardware engineering John Ternus has been named as Cook’s replacement as CEO. He will assume the role on September 1st, 2026.

Ternus first joined Apple in 2001 on the product design team. He was later appointed VP of hardware engineering in 2013, before joining the executive team in 2021 as senior VP. His roles included overseeing hardware engineering work across iPad, AirPods, iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch.

Elsewhere, Apple non-executive chairman Arthur Levinson will become the firm’s lead independent director from September 1st.

New era

“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,” said Cook.

“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.

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

Ternus commented: “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.”