Apple CEO Tim Cook will step down from his role on September 1, 2026, with John Ternus, the company’s Senior VP of Hardware Engineering, assuming leadership. Cook will transition to Executive Chairman of the board, focusing on policy engagement. Ternus, who spearheaded product lines like iPad, AirPods, and multiple iPhone iterations, joins the executive team after 25 years at Apple. Arthur Levinson, longtime non-executive chairman, becomes lead independent director, while Johny Srouji assumes Chief Hardware Officer duties.

The shift marks a generational change in Apple’s leadership amid sustained growth under Cook’s tenure, which saw market cap surge from $350 billion to $4 trillion and revenue triple from $108 billion to $416 billion since 2011. Ternus’ engineering expertise and Cook’s legacy of innovation—including Apple Watch, AirPods, and Vision Pro—underscore continuity in product development.