Tim Cook has led Apple for more than 14 years. The executive guided the company through a period of high growth that resulted in a market valuation exceeding $4 trillion. His significant tenure, which began in 2011, oversaw the introduction of new product lines. The list includes the Apple Watch, AirPods, and Vision Pro, alongside the expansion of Apple’s services division. According to a recent report from the Financial Times, Tim Cook may be prepared to step down from his CEO role as early as next year, prompting the board and senior executives to intensify their preparations for the top leadership handover.
Tim Cook may step down as Apple CEO next year
The executive most often cited as Cook’s likely successor is John Ternus. The latter is Apple’s current Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. While there is still no official announcement from the company, the selection of an engineering executive would signal a difference in professional focus at the top of the organization.
Ternus joined Apple in 2001 and has deep roots in product design. His profile rose significantly as he managed key hardware teams and played a crucial role in the successful transition of the Mac lineup to custom Apple Silicon chips. His professional experience centers on engineering and product development. This differentiates him from Cook’s background, which is rooted in supply chain and operations.
The report emphasizes that this accelerated planning is a measured organizational process, not a reaction to internal issues or poor performance. Apple is currently anticipating strong sales for its current products during the critical holiday period.
Timeline and organizational context
Apple is not expected to announce the new CEO before its January earnings report. However, if the decision arrives early next year, the timing would allow for a smooth leadership transition ahead of Apple’s major annual product cycles.
The succession planning occurs amidst other recent, significant changes within the C-suite. Earlier this year, Sabih Khan took on the Chief Operating Officer role following Jeff Williams’s retirement. Furthermore, the company navigated a CFO transition with Kevan Parekh replacing longtime finance chief Luca Maestri.
Ternus’s potential leadership could be one of Apple’s most important moves in its history. Selecting an executive from the hardware engineering division suggests a strategy where core product development remains central to guiding the organization into its next phase of growth. Meanwhile, we just have to wait to see what Tim Cook’s possible successor could bring for the Cupertino giant.
