After much anticipation, one of the biggest tech companies has finally announced that the new Apple CEO will be John Ternus, who has been with the firm for 25 years and is currently Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. Under this transition in leadership, Tim Cook is stepping down as CEO and moving to Executive Chairman effective on September 1st, 2026.
Tim Cook will work closely with John Ternus throughout the summer to ensure a smooth handoff as they work towards a coordinated effort regarding policy engagement.
Tim Cook’s Legacy
Cook joined Apple in 1998 and became Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2011, succeeding co-founder Steve Jobs. During his time as CEO, he led Apple to develop new product categories through innovations like the Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro, expanding services like iCloud, Apple Pay, and Apple Music, generating over USD 100 billion in revenue combined. The active installed base of Apple’s products has grown to over 2.5 billion devices. In addition, Tim Cook has successfully transitioned Apple to its own silicon, delivering industry‑leading power efficiency. Nevertheless, Tim has made privacy and environmental responsibility core to the culture at Apple, resulting in a reduction in its overall carbon footprint of more than 60% while the company’s revenue nearly doubled during his leadership.
Who Is John Ternus?
Ternus joined Apple in 2001 as part of their product design team and has been Vice President since 2013. He has overseen all hardware engineering for nearly every Apple product line (iPad, AirPods, iPhone, Mac, as well as Apple Watch). John played a key role in the recent launch of both the MacBook Neo and iPhone 17 series (including ultra-thin iPhone Air). Moreover, Ternus led the company’s efforts to innovate in terms of durability, repairability, and sustainable material usage by introducing a new recycled aluminium composite across multiple product categories.
On the other hand, Arthur Levinson has been Apple’s Non-Executive Chairman for 15 years and will now serve as Lead Independent Director. Ternus, the new Apple CEO, is expected to join the Board of Directors on September 1st.
Apple (AAPL) Stock Reaction
So far, Apple’s stock (NASDAQ: AAPL) has reacted relatively well following the news. It’s trading over 1% in the last 24 hours, with a price of USD 273 at the time of writing. The ongoing leadership transition comes amid increasing pressure on the company to advance its artificial intelligence (AI) strategy and adapt to a rapidly evolving market.
