Apple CEO Tim Cook is stepping down and will become executive chairman

Apple announced Tim Cook will step down as CEO effective September 1, 2026, and will remain as executive chairman; John Ternus is named to become CEO pending board approval.

Apple announced that Tim Cook will step down as chief executive officer, effective September 1, 2026, and will remain with the company as executive chairman. The company named John Ternus, its senior vice president of hardware engineering, as the next CEO. The change follows what Apple described as a long-term succession planning process and represents the company's first CEO transition since 2011. Cook said his time as CEO was "the greatest privilege of my life" and expressed gratitude for working with Apple teams. Key details: - Tim Cook will step down as CEO effective September 1, 2026, and will serve as executive chairman. - John Ternus has been named to succeed Cook and is set to formally take over following board approval. - Ternus is reported to have spent more than two decades at Apple, joining in 2001 and rising to senior vice president of hardware engineering. - He has overseen development of major Apple products and hardware transitions, including the move to Apple-designed chips. - Apple framed the change as the result of long-term succession planning and said Cook will work closely with Ternus during the transition. Summary: Apple described the move as the result of long-term succession planning and presented John Ternus as the company's next chief executive. The board's approval and a transition period will precede Ternus formally taking the role on September 1, 2026, while Cook remains at Apple as executive chairman and works with Ternus during the handover.