By Sharon Kyomugisha
Apple has announced a leadership transition that will see Tim Cook step down as chief executive officer and take up the role of executive chairman, with John Ternus set to become CEO effective September 1, 2026.
The decision was approved unanimously by the board and follows a long running succession plan. Cook will remain in charge through the summer to oversee the transition.
Ternus, currently senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, will also join Apple’s board. He has spent more than two decades at the company and has led hardware development across key products, including iPhone, Mac, iPad and AirPods.
Board chairman Arthur Levinson will move to the position of lead independent director when the changes take effect.
Cook has led Apple since 2011, overseeing major growth in both products and services. During his tenure, the company’s market value rose from about $350 billion to $4 trillion, while annual revenue increased from $108 billion to more than $416 billion.
Apple expanded its global footprint to more than 200 countries and territories and grew its installed base to over 2.5 billion devices.
The company also scaled its services business into a $100 billion segment and introduced new product lines, including Apple Watch, AirPods and Apple Vision Pro.
Ternus joined Apple’s product design team in 2001 and rose through the ranks to lead hardware engineering. He has overseen the rollout of several generations of Apple products and recent updates across the iPhone and Mac lineup.
