John Ternus will replace Tim Cook as Apple’s CEO, which is great news for Apple fans.
Apple announced that Tim Cook will become executive chairman of Apple’s board of directors and John Ternus, senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, will become Apple’s next chief executive officer effective on September 1, 2026. The transition, which was approved unanimously by the Board of Directors, follows a thoughtful, 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.
Congrats to John for the new role. Having hardware engineers at the helm is a good sign since the passion for great products stays alive, and might even grow stronger.
Look at Toyota’s former CEO, Akio Toyoda as an example. He had true passion for cars and racing, and vowed that Toyota would no longer make boring cars, leading to the revival of the Toyota Supra, a new turbocharged 3-cylinder GR Yaris and GR Corolla, and of course, the production of the Lexus LFA supercar.
Tim Cook will continue to handle the politics as Executive Chairman of Apple’s board of directors, allowing John to focus on what Apple does best - delivering great experiences with hardware and software.