Apple CEO Tim Cook, who has led Apple since 2011, will step down on September 1, 2026, ending a 15-year leadership tenure. He will move to an Executive Chairman role, with current hardware engineering head John Ternus stepping in as the new CEO. This transition concludes a period of significant growth and shifts leadership to focus on future innovation.
Apple has named insider John Ternus as its next chief executive, tasking the long-time hardware chief to steer the company after Tim Cook, as the iPhone maker gears up for an industry change spurred by artificial intelligence. Ternus, who joined Apple in 2001, has recently overseen the company’s hardware engineering efforts and has played a key role in reigniting sales of products such as Apple’s Mac computers, which have gained market share in recent years.
