TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Timothy Donald Cook, widely known as Tim Cook, is set to step down as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Apple on September 1, 2026. The leadership of the tech giant will be assumed by John Ternus, Apple’s current senior vice president of hardware engineering.
Cook, who succeeded Steve Jobs as CEO in 2011, is expected to remain with the company as the executive chairperson of the board of directors. The succession plan was officially announced through the company’s website, with management stating that the transition has been ratified by the entire board and aligns with a strategic, long-term vision.
According to Cook, serving as Apple’s CEO has been the greatest honor of his life. He expressed his profound love for the company and his gratitude for the opportunity to work alongside such a brilliant team, noting that handing the reins to Ternus in early September is intended to foster significant advancements.
"John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honor," said Tim Cook on Monday, April 20, 2026.
John Ternus described the CEO role as an opportunity to carry forward the mission of the iPhone maker. "I promise to lead with the values and vision that have come to define this special place for half a century," he remarked, as noted in the same official statement.
Who Is John Ternus?
John Ternus, a California native, received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. As reported by the Guardian, he briefly worked at Virtual Research Systems, a virtual reality startup, after graduating in 1997.
Ternus joined Apple in 2001. His career trajectory within the company has been marked by steady ascension: he was appointed vice president of hardware engineering in 2013 and eventually rose to senior vice president in 2021, reporting directly to Tim Cook.
His fingerprints are on nearly every cornerstone of the current Apple ecosystem. He has led the engineering teams for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, and Apple Watch, and most recently spearheaded the "iPhone Air" redesign, the company’s most significant smartphone revamp since 2017.
One of his most defining triumphs was the transition of the Mac line to proprietary Apple silicon. By replacing Intel chips in 2020, Ternus helped drive a resurgence in Mac sales and market share.
While his leadership saw the successful explosion of the AirPods and Apple Watch into multi-billion dollar businesses, he also navigated the more challenging launch of the Vision Pro headset.
The transition follows a year of succession planning, reportedly initiated after Cook expressed a desire to reduce his workload, as reported by the New York Times. Upon stepping down, Cook will transition to executive chair of the board, while Ternus will officially join the board of directors as he assumes the CEO role.
Filling the vacancy left by John Ternus in the hardware department will be Johny Srouji, another heavyweight in Apple’s executive ranks.
Editor's Note: The title of this article has been updated from "John Ternus to Succeed Tim Cook as Apple CEO" to better reflect the background and career profile of John Ternus.
Read: Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple CEO, John Ternus to Take Over
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