Tim Cook Steps Down as Apple Chief as John Ternus Named Replacement

Apple announced on Monday that it had named a replacement for Tim Cook as CEO after nearly 15 years, with head of hardware engineering John Ternus succeeding him on 1 September. Cook will stay at the company in the role of executive chair.

Cook, 65, who succeeded Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, has been CEO since 2011. With a reputation for operational and supply chain management, he has overseen the global expansion of the company and its steady series of new, updated devices, though never attained the same tech visionary status as Jobs.

Ternus, 50, was viewed as a likely candidate to take over. He has been at the company since 2001. In a statement announcing his new role, he touted working under Jobs and described Cook as a mentor.

Cook said Ternus had “the mind of an engineer and the soul of an innovator”. In the same press release, Ternus said: “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.”

Apple has faced close scrutiny in the past year as investors have questioned how it plans to integrate AI into its products. The company has not been as prominent a player in the AI boom as some of its competitors, choosing to sometimes integrate third-party AI tools into its products such as Siri. Though its core businesses of phone and computer sales remain strong, its new products like the Vision Pro have failed to inspire consumer demand.