Apple Changes Everything: Tim Cook Leaves the Throne, John Ternus New CEO from September
Apple has announced one of the most significant management transitions in its recent history: Tim Cook will leave the role of CEO to become executive chairman, while John Ternus will assume the position of CEO starting September 1, 2026. At the same time, Johny Srouji has been promoted to chief hardware officer, marking a deep restructuring of the company’s technical leadership.
For some, the news came completely unexpectedly, but not for everyone: rumors had been circulating for months regarding the succession to Tim Cook, with Ternus indicated by all as the ideal figure for the CEO role. The pre-election forecasts thus proved to be accurate, partly because the decision, unanimously approved by the board, is the result of a long-planned succession process that evidently was difficult to conceal entirely.
Cook will continue to lead Apple until the summer, collaborating with Ternus to ensure a smooth transition. In his new role, he will maintain a strategic involvement, particularly in relations with global political decision-makers.
Since 2011, under Cook's guidance, Apple has recorded significant growth in many respects:
- Market capitalization grew from approximately $350 billion to $4 trillion
- Annual revenue increased from $108 billion to over $416 billion
- Installed base exceeded 2.5 billion devices
- Expansion into over 200 countries and territories
On the technological front, Cook has overseen the introduction of new categories such as the Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro, in addition to the development of digital services (iCloud, Apple Pay, Apple Music), which today represents a business of over $100 billion annually.
Particularly relevant has been the transition to Apple Silicon, which has allowed the company to directly control chip design, improving energy efficiency and performance across the entire product line.
In his message to the community, Cook emphasized the direct link with users, developed through years of daily communications: stories of personal experiences, critical uses of products, and concrete feedback that has helped guide the development of the Apple ecosystem. An element that, in his words, has strengthened the sense of responsibility and the centrality of the user in business decisions.
Cook described Ternus as "the right leader" for the future of the company, highlighting his engineering profile and ability to combine innovation and integrity. Ternus himself acknowledged the influence of figures such as Steve Jobs and Cook in his formation, underlining the continuity with the company’s historical values.
Joining Apple in 2001, Ternus has led the hardware development of numerous key products, contributing to the evolution of the iPhone, Mac, and iPad. In recent years, he has overseen innovations related to materials, durability, and sustainability, including new production processes and the use of recycled materials. Under his leadership, the Mac line has achieved some of the highest levels of dissemination and performance in the platform's history, also due to integration with Apple Silicon. Recent products include new generations of iPhones and solutions like the MacBook Neo, designed to broaden the accessibility of the platform.
Johny Srouji will take charge of hardware, having been appointed Chief Hardware Officer. Srouji, at Apple since 2008, led the development of the first internal SoC (A4) and built the engineering division focused on chips, modems, sensors, and key technologies. In his new role, he will oversee both hardware engineering and foundational technologies, further unifying design and development. This transition is consistent with the increasing vertical integration pursued by Apple in recent years.
Finally, Apple announces that, in terms of governance, Arthur Levinson will become the lead independent director after 15 years as non-executive chairman. Ternus will join the board of directors, consolidating his role at the decision-making level.