John Ternus Named As Apple's New CEO, Succeeding Tim Cook

John Ternus has been named as the new Chief Executive of Apple, replacing Tim Cook.

John will take the helm of the technology giant on September 1, 2026, after being with the company for more than 25 years. He currently holds the position of Head of Hardware Engineering.

After 15 years as Apple’s CEO – starting the role in 2011 – Tim took the reins from Co-founder Steve Jobs, and will now be transitioning to the Executive Chairman role. 

Through this position, Tim will focus on “certain” aspects of the business while staying engaged with policymakers across the globe.

The pair will work “closely” together through the summer to ensure there is a smooth transition into the new roles

Apple’s evolution over the years

Since joining Apple in 1998, Tim has helped the company through a steady progression of growth. 

Apple’s market cap has surged more than 20-fold during Cook’s tenure. After becoming the first public company to reach a $1 trillion (£740bn) valuation, it took less than eight years for the business to quadruple that figure, hitting the $4 trillion mark.

The business has also grown to operate in over 200 countries, with more than 500 retail stores. Apple also has 2.5 billion active devices globally, and under Tim’s leadership, the headcount has expanded by 100,000 people.

Tim expressed that being “trusted to lead such an extraordinary company” has been “the greatest privilege” of his life. 

“I love Apple with all of my being,” he said in the company’s press release. “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.”

Looking to the future, he says that John “has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator and the heart to lead with integrity and with honour".

As a result, he believes that John is “without question the right person to lead Apple into the future". 

Who is John Ternus?

As a long-term Apple employee, John joined Apple’s executive team in 2021 as Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. 

Over the course of his quarter-century with the business, John has overseen the hardware engineering work on a variety of products, spanning the introduction of multiple new product lines – including the iPad and AirPods – as well as many generations of iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch.

In the company press release, John expressed that he is “profoundly grateful” for the opportunity to “carry Apple’s mission forward,” especially having spent “almost” his entire career at the company. 

“I have been lucky to have worked under Steve Jobs and to have had Tim Cook as my mentor,” he says. “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.”

John has also been credited with leading hardware breakthroughs that have helped to define Apple’s most recent era of innovation. By leading the Mac division, John helped the category become “more powerful and more popular globally than at any time in its 40-year history".

Additionally, John helped drive the evolution of AirPods into the in-ear headphones they are today by pairing active noise cancellation with a hearing health system that allows the devices to function as over-the-counter hearing aids. 

“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,” John adds. 

“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.”