Apple is preparing for a major leadership shift as Tim Cook announces he will step down as CEO, handing over the role to John Ternus, the company’s senior vice president of hardware engineering.
Ternus will officially take charge on September 1, 2026, and will also join Apple’s board of directors. Cook, who has been with Apple since 1998 and became CEO in 2011 following Steve Jobs, will transition into the role of executive chairman, where he will continue contributing to the company, particularly in global policy engagement and strategic guidance.
At the same time, Apple is reshaping its hardware leadership. Johny Srouji, previously leading hardware technologies, has been promoted to chief hardware officer. In this expanded role, he will now oversee both hardware engineering and the hardware technologies division, responsibilities that were previously under Ternus. The move signals Apple’s effort to maintain strong continuity in its product development strategy during this leadership transition.
During Cook’s time as CEO, Apple introduced some of its most influential products and services, including the Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple Vision Pro, iCloud, and Apple Pay. Under his leadership, Apple also saw significant growth in its services segment, which has grown into a business generating over $100 billion. Cook will remain CEO through the summer to ensure a smooth transition, working closely with Ternus before fully stepping into his new position.
John Ternus has built his career at Apple since joining in 2001 as part of the product design team. Over the years, he rose through the ranks, becoming vice president of hardware engineering in 2013 and later joining the executive team as senior vice president in 2021. Apple credits him as being instrumental in developing key products like the iPad and AirPods, along with contributing to multiple generations of the iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch.
In his message, Cook described leading Apple as the greatest privilege of his life and expressed deep gratitude for the people he has worked with. He praised Ternus as a visionary leader with strong engineering instincts and integrity, saying he has full confidence in his ability to guide Apple into the future. Ternus, in turn, shared that stepping into the CEO role is both humbling and exciting, highlighting his long journey at Apple and the influence of both Steve Jobs and Tim Cook on his career. He emphasized his commitment to continuing Apple’s mission and leading with the same values that have shaped the company for decades.
Internally, Ternus reassured Apple employees that he plans to remain closely involved in the company’s work, maintaining a hands-on approach even as CEO. He also announced that Tom Marieb, currently vice president of product integrity in hardware engineering, will step into the role of head of hardware engineering, reporting directly to Srouji. Marieb will be responsible for executing Apple’s product roadmap and ensuring the company continues delivering innovative hardware.
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Speculation about Cook’s eventual departure had been building for months, with reports from major outlets suggesting that Ternus was the leading candidate to succeed him. Those predictions have now materialized, marking the beginning of a new chapter for Apple under leadership that has been shaped from within the company itself.
