Apple said Friday that John Ternus will become its next chief executive officer on Sept. 1, 2026, ending the long run that made Tim Cook one of the most powerful executives in technology and placing the company’s hardware chief at the top of the world’s most valuable company. Cook will move to executive chairman, while Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, will join the board.
The board approved the transition unanimously, and Apple said it follows a thoughtful, long-term succession planning process. Cook will remain CEO through the summer and work closely with Ternus on a smooth handoff, then continue to assist the company in his new role, including on engagement with policymakers around the world.
The timing matters because the change lands on Sept. 1, 2026, a date that marks a formal reset of Apple’s leadership rather than a sudden break. Arthur Levinson will become lead independent director that same day, after 15 years as the company’s non-executive chairman, and Ternus will join Apple’s board of directors.
Cook framed the move as the end of a defining chapter in Apple’s history. He said it had been the greatest privilege of his life to serve as CEO and praised Ternus as an engineer with the soul of an innovator and the heart to lead with integrity and honor. Cook added that Ternus has spent over 25 years contributing to Apple and said he was without question the right person to lead the company into the future.
Ternus, in turn, described the promotion as deeply personal. He said he had spent almost his entire career at Apple, had worked under Steve Jobs and had Cook as a mentor. He said he was profoundly grateful for the chance to carry Apple’s mission forward, humbled to step into the role, and filled with optimism about what the company can achieve in the years ahead.
Levinson also backed the choice, saying Cook’s leadership transformed Apple into the world’s best company and that Ternus is the best possible successor because of his love of Apple, technical depth, and relentless focus on great products. The remarks leave little doubt that Apple is presenting this as continuity, not upheaval, with the same internal culture that elevated Cook now passing the reins to one of its own.