Tim Cook To Become Apple Executive Chairman; John Ternus Appointed CEO
Apple announced Tim Cook will move to Executive Chairman of its Board, and John Ternus will become Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective September 1, 2026. Cook will remain CEO until summer 2026 and work with Ternus in transition.
Further, Arthur Levinson will shift from Non-Executive Chairman to Lead Independent Director (LID) on the same date. Ternus will also join the Board.
Cook is the CEO of Apple and a Member of its Board of Directors. He became CEO in August 2011 after serving as Chief Operating Officer (COO), where he managed global sales, operations, Apple’s supply chain, and customer support across markets. He also led the Macintosh division and worked on strengthening relationships with suppliers and resellers. Before joining Apple, Cook was Vice President (VP) of Corporate Materials at Compaq, overseeing product inventory management. Earlier, he served as chief operating officer of the Reseller Division at Intelligent Electronics. He also spent 12 years at IBM, where he was director of North American Fulfillment, managing manufacturing and distribution for the company’s personal computer business. Cook holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Auburn University.
Ternus is Apple’s Senior VP of Hardware Engineering, reporting to CEO Tim Cook. He oversees all hardware engineering teams at Apple, including those responsible for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro. Since joining Apple in 2001, he has played a key role in developing multiple product categories and improving existing lines. He contributed to the launch of new products such as iPad and AirPods and has worked across successive generations of Mac, iPhone, and Apple Watch. His work has also focused on hardware design, durability, and product innovation across Apple’s ecosystem. Before joining 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.
