Apple Names John Ternus as New CEO Succeeding Tim Cook in September

Apple announced on April 20, 2026, that John Ternus will succeed Tim Cook as chief executive officer, effective September 1, 2026. Ternus, currently senior vice president of hardware engineering, joined Apple in 2001 and has overseen development of products including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, and Apple Watch.

Cook, 65, will become executive chairman and remain involved with the company. The board of directors unanimously approved the transition after a long-term succession planning process. Ternus, 49, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1997 and worked as an engineer before joining Apple.

He became vice president of hardware engineering in 2013, succeeding Dan Riccio.

Ternus has presented at major Apple events, including Worldwide Developers Conference and product launches for iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPhone Air. He has conducted interviews on topics such as Apple Intelligence and hardware durability. Ternus described Cook as a mentor and noted his experience working under Steve Jobs.

Cook succeeded Steve Jobs as CEO in 2011, shortly before Jobs' death. Cook, a supply chain expert, joined Apple in 1998 and overhauled manufacturing and logistics. The transition shifts leadership from Cook's operations focus to Ternus' hardware and design background.

Ben Bajarin, CEO of technology consulting firm Creative Strategies, said Ternus is well-liked within Apple and will bring fresh energy. The announcement occurs as Apple navigates challenges in artificial intelligence. The company has partnered with Google to enhance Siri and faced delays in delivering AI features promised nearly two years ago.

Apple's Vision Pro headset underperformed sales projections, which were cut in half. Ternus has been identified as a likely successor in reports over the past year and a half. Bloomberg reported him as the most likely heir apparent. Cook stated in a 2023 interview that he prepared several internal candidates for the role.

Apple shares dipped less than 1% in after-hours trading following the announcement. The transition mirrors those at Amazon, where Jeff Bezos became executive chairman, and Netflix, where Reed Hastings did the same. Ternus' appointment marks a return to a CEO with a product design background at Apple.

Ternus has overseen hardware transitions, including the shift to Apple-designed chips for Macs and expansions in the hardware lineup. He majored in mechanical engineering and was a competitive collegiate swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania. Little is publicly known about his personal life.

“I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple’s mission forward.”

Cook praised Ternus for his engineering mind, innovative soul, and integrity in leadership. The change comes at a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping the industry, similar to the iPhone's impact in 2007. Apple has regained market share in Mac computers under recent hardware efforts.

Ternus joined Apple's product design team in 2001 after four years as an engineer elsewhere. He has worked on every generation of iPad and contributed to AirPods development. As CEO, he will lead one of the world's largest companies, valued at $4 trillion.