Apple Inc. on Tuesday announced a major leadership transition, naming hardware chief John Ternus as its next chief executive officer, with current CEO Tim Cook set to become executive chairman effective September 1, 2026.
The move, unanimously approved by the board, follows what the company described as a long-term succession plan. Cook will remain CEO through the summer to ensure a smooth handover, after which he will take on a strategic role that includes engaging with global policymakers.
“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple,” said Cook. During his tenure, Apple’s India market grew significantly with reports of record quarters in recent times.
Commenting on Cook’s promotion, Shubham Singh, Research Analyst at Counterpoint Research said, “India is one of Apple’s most vital markets. Cook has done an excellent job of uncovering the country’s potential and structurally signalling its global importance through multiple lenses—including the manufacturing push, retail expansion, and the developer and user communities. Throughout this process, Cook developed a deep personal connection with the Indian audience; John Ternus must now build upon that foundation, especially considering the market’s future potential. Ternus’s strong engineering and hardware background, combined with his charismatic personality, is likely to resonate well with India’s young and aspirational user base.”
Apple Shuffle
Cook himself called Ternus “a visionary” and “without question the right person to lead Apple into the future.”
Ternus, currently senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, said he was “profoundly grateful” for the opportunity and credited mentorship under Cook and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. “I am filled with optimism about what we can achieve in the years to come,” he said.
As part of the transition, long-serving chairman Arthur Levinson will step down as non-executive chairman and become lead independent director. Ternus will also join Apple’s board.
Levinson said Cook’s leadership had transformed Apple into “the world’s best company,” while expressing confidence in Ternus’s “deep technical knowledge” and product focus.
Cook, who joined Apple in 1998 and became CEO in 2011, oversaw a dramatic expansion of the company. During his tenure, Apple’s market capitalisation surged from about $350 billion to $4 trillion, while annual revenue nearly quadrupled to over $416 billion in fiscal 2025. The company also broadened its global footprint to more than 200 countries and built an installed base exceeding 2.5 billion devices.
Cook’s Legacy
Under Cook, Apple launched new product categories such as the Apple Watch, AirPods and Apple Vision Pro, while expanding services like iCloud, Apple Pay and Apple Music into a business exceeding $100 billion annually. He also led the transition to in-house silicon and championed privacy, sustainability and accessibility initiatives, including a more than 60% reduction in the company’s carbon footprint since 2015.
Ternus, a 25-year Apple veteran, has led hardware engineering across flagship products including iPhone, Mac and iPad. As part of the company’s product design team since 2001, he played a key role in developing newer offerings such as the MacBook Neo and the latest iPhone lineup, and has driven advances in durability, materials and environmental design.
The leadership shift marks one of the most significant transitions at Apple since Cook succeeded Jobs in 2011.
Published on April 22, 2026