After spending 15 years at the helm, Apple CEO Tim Cook, will see himself out of the top job in September of this year. John Ternus, senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, will succeed Cook as CEO.
Apple has announced that John Ternus, the senior vice president of hardware engineering, will take over as CEO of the company on September 1, 2026, as Tim Cook prepares to step down after 15 years in the role. pic.twitter.com/0VstEOEntq
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 20, 2026
JUST IN: Apple CEO Tim Cook to step down as CEO, will be replaced by John Ternus.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 20, 2026
Ternus, senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, will become Apple’s CEO effective on September 1, 2026, according to Apple.
"It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of… pic.twitter.com/gstHGKRppy
RIP Tim Apple
— Palmer Luckey (@PalmerLuckey) April 20, 2026
“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company. I love Apple with all of my being, and 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,” said Cook said in a statement.
With Cook at the helm, Apple became the first company to achieve a $1 trillion market cap. The company has continued to grow exponentially, sitting as the third largest company in the world by market cap.
Ternus has worked at the company since 2001. He would go on to join the executive team in 2021. Apple has credited him as “instrumental” in the development of Apple’s major products, including the iPhone, AirPods, and Mac.
Cook will now serve as Executive Chairman of Apple’s Board of Directors.
