Apple Names Hardware Chief John Ternus as CEO as Tim Cook Shifts to Executive Chairman

Mintesinot Nigussie

Apple will appoint its hardware engineering chief John Ternus as chief executive officer from September 1, 2026, ending Tim Cook’s 15-year tenure at the helm and elevating a long-serving engineer to lead the world’s most valuable technology company. The leadership change, unanimously approved by Apple’s board, will see Cook transition into the role of executive chairman while continuing as CEO through the summer to oversee a structured handover.

Arthur Levinson, who has chaired the board for 15 years, will become lead independent director, and Ternus will join the board upon assuming the top job. Cook’s shift marks a major governance reset at Apple after a period in which the company expanded from a 350 billion US dollars market capitalisation in 2011 to about 4 trillion US dollars by fiscal 2025.

Ternus, who joined Apple in 2001 and rose through its hardware engineering ranks, currently oversees core product development across iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch and AirPods. He became senior vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2021 and has played a central role in Apple’s silicon transition and successive product redesigns.

His tenure has coincided with the expansion of Apple’s wearables category and continued refinement of flagship devices, including recent iterations of iPhone and Mac lines, alongside engineering changes focused on durability, materials and energy efficiency.

Cook, who joined Apple in 1998 and became CEO in 2011, will remain involved in select company matters in his new role, including engagement with policymakers. During his leadership, Apple expanded its global footprint to more than 200 countries and territories and grew its installed base to over 2.5 billion devices.

The company also scaled its services division into a business generating more than 100 billion US dollars annually, while introducing new product categories such as Apple Watch and AirPods and transitioning its Mac line to Apple-designed silicon.

Overall, Apple’s appointment of hardware chief John Ternus as CEO, with Tim Cook shifting to executive chairman, marks a significant leadership transition at the technology giant as it enters its next phase of innovation and growth.