Taimur Asad on April 20, 2026, 9:32 pm

End Of An Era: Tim Cook Steps Down As Apple CEO, John Ternus To Take Over

Apple today has announced that current CEO Tim Cook will step down from CEO position effective September 1, 2026.

John Ternus, who currently serves as Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, will takeover as CEO position. Cook will continue to work as CEO until September 1 after which he will be executive chairman of Apple’s board of directors.

This is what Tim Cook had to say about this:

“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. 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,” said Cook. “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.”

And John Ternus had this to say about it:

“I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple’s mission forward,” said Ternus. “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.”

Tim Cook became CEO of Apple in 2011 after taking over from Steve Jobs. During his tenure, Apple became the world’s most valued company.