Apple has confirmed that John Ternus, senior vice president of hardware engineering at Apple, will become the company’s next CEO, effective September 1, 2026. As a result of this shift in leadership, Tim Cook will become Executive Chairman of Apple’s board of directors. The transition, which was approved unanimously by the Board of Directors, follows a long-term succession planning process.
Cook will continue in his role as CEO through the summer as he works closely with Ternus on a smooth transition. As Executive Chairman, Cook will assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world.
“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company,” says Cook. “I love Apple with all of my being, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with a team of such ingenious, innovative, creative, and deeply caring people who have been unwavering in their dedication to enriching the lives of our customers and creating the best products and services in the world.
“John Ternus,” he adds, “has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honour. He is a visionary whose contributions to Apple over 25 years are already too numerous to count, and he is without question the right person to lead Apple into the future. I could not be more confident in his abilities and his character, and I look forward to working closely with him on this transition and in my new role as executive chairman.”
“I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple’s mission forward,” comments Ternus. “Having spent almost my entire career at Apple, I have been lucky to have worked under Steve Jobs and to have had Tim Cook as my mentor. It has been a privilege to help shape the products and experiences that have changed so much of how we interact with the world and with one another.
He continues: “I am filled with optimism about what we can achieve in the years to come, and I am so happy to know that the most talented people on earth are here at Apple, determined to be part of something bigger than any one of us. I am humbled to step into this role, and I promise to lead with the values and vision that have come to define this special place for half a century.”
Arthur Levinson, who has been Apple’s non-executive chairman for the past 15 years, will become its lead independent director on September 1, 2026. Ternus will join the board of directors, also effective September 1, 2026.
“Tim’s unprecedented and outstanding leadership has transformed Apple into the world’s best company,” says Levinson. “He’s introduced groundbreaking products and services time and again, and his integrity and values are infused into everything Apple does. On behalf of the entire board of directors, we are incredibly grateful for his countless contributions to Apple and the world, and we are thrilled he will now be executive chairman. We believe John is the best possible leader to succeed Tim and as he transitions to CEO we know his love of Apple, his leadership, deep technical knowledge, and relentless focus on creating great products will help lead Apple to an extraordinary future.”
“I want to thank Art for the incredible work he has done leading the board of directors for the past 15 years,” Cook adds. “I have always found his advice to be invaluable, and I appreciate his thoughtfulness and his unwavering dedication to the company. I am grateful he will serve as our lead independent director, and I look forward to working with him in my new role.”
Cook joined Apple in 1998 and became CEO in 2011. Since then, he has overseen the introduction of numerous products and services, including new categories like Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro as well as services like iCloud, Apple Pay, Apple TV, and Apple Music. He was also instrumental in expanding existing product lines.
Under Cook’s leadership, Apple has grown from a market capitalization of approximately US$350 billion to US$4 trillion, representing a more than 1,000% increase. Yearly revenue has nearly quadrupled, from US$108 billion in fiscal year 2011 to more than US$416 billion in fiscal year 2025. The company has expanded its global footprint substantially, particularly in emerging markets; it is now in more than 200 countries and territories.
Apple operates over 500 retail stores and has more than doubled the number of countries in which its customers can visit an Apple Store. During his tenure, Apple has grown by more than 100,000 team members and increased its active installed base to more than 2.5 billion devices.
Apple Services has been a major focus area of Cook’s, and during his tenure, the category has grown to become a more than US$100 billion business. Cook was also instrumental in creating the wearables category at Apple, which now includes the Apple Watch and headphones. Under Cook’s leadership, Apple also transitioned to Apple-designed silicon, enabling the company to own more of its primary technology and deliver gains in power efficiency and performance.
Under his leadership, Apple reduced its carbon footprint by more than 60% below 2015 levels during a period in which revenue nearly doubled. Cook, who has long advocated for privacy as a fundamental human right, has made privacy and security imperative at Apple. He has also pushed for continued innovation in the accessibility space, believing that Apple products should be made for everyone.
Ternus joined Apple’s product design team in 2001 and became a vice president of hardware engineering in 2013. He joined the executive team in 2021 as senior vice president of hardware engineering. Throughout his tenure at Apple, Ternus has overseen hardware engineering work on a variety of products across every category. He was instrumental in the introduction of multiple new product lines, including iPad and AirPods, as well as many generations of products across iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch.
Ternus’s work on Mac includes the recent introduction of MacBook Neo, the brand’s most affordable new laptop. This past fall, he was pivotal in introducing the new iPhone lineup, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, the thin and durable iPhone Air, and the iPhone 17. Under his leadership, his team also drove advancements in AirPods with improved active noise cancellation and the capability to become an all-in-one hearing health system that can serve as over-the-counter hearing aids.
Ternus led much of the company’s focus in areas like reliability and durability, introducing new techniques that have made Apple products more resilient. He has also driven much of Apple’s innovation in materials and hardware design that have reduced the carbon footprint of its products, including the creation of a new, recycled aluminum compound that has been introduced across multiple product lines, the use of 3-D printed titanium in Apple Watch Ultra 3, and innovations in repairability that have increased the lifespans of several Apple products.
Prior to Apple, Ternus worked as a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research Systems. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.