Tim Cook dinner turned 65 on Nov. 1, and talks have been rising across the query of who his successor as Apple CEO might be. Cook dinner has made no announcement that he’ll be retiring, however based on Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the tech large is working behind the scenes to make sure a seamless transition when the time does come.
Cook dinner changed Steve Jobs in 2011, and after a interval of uncertainty, Cook dinner ushered Apple into its most worthwhile period. Inventory-watching web site Stocktwits studies that the corporate’s inventory has elevated by round 1,800% since Cook dinner took over main the corporate.
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Jobs could have launched units just like the iPhone into on a regular basis use that modified how we work together with know-how, however Cook dinner expanded on the Apple expertise. Underneath his steerage, the corporate constructed upon Apple’s smartphone by introducing subscription companies and extra cellular merchandise, together with earbuds and wearables.
He launched Apple Pay, Beats headphones grew to become a part of the corporate’s ecosystem, the Apple Watch launched 10 years in the past, and Apple even entered the leisure enterprise, producing unique Oscar-winning films and Emmy-winning TV exhibits by way of Apple TV Plus.
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Tim Cook dinner exhibits off the brand new orange iPhone 17 at 2025’s Apple Occasion.
We must always reiterate that the notion of Cook dinner stepping down is pure hypothesis at this level. We do not know what Apple’s CEO is at the moment planning or what his ideas about retirement could also be. That stated, there are a handful of contenders who’ve reportedly been a part of the succession dialog.
Potential Apple CEO contenders
Apple doubtless has “a strong bench of successors” that the corporate’s board has been creating, says Bryan Ma, VP of Units Analysis at IDC.
“However the nervousness will get amplified when there is not clear visibility for such a helpful and iconic firm,” Ma says. “Compounding the problem is the truth that the bar has been set by large rock stars like Steve Jobs and Tim Cook dinner. The subsequent technology of leaders have very large sneakers to fill.”
John Ternus, Apple’s present vice chairman of {Hardware} Engineering, was high of Gurman’s record. Ternus has been with the tech large for greater than twenty years, so he has the data and expertise for a chief government improve. There can be worth in having an engineer behind the wheel.
Ternus appeared in the course of the September Apple occasion to introduce the iPhone Air. At 50, he is the identical age Cook dinner was when he took over as Apple CEO.
Different potential contenders are additionally being thought of, together with Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice chairman of software program engineering; Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice chairman of worldwide advertising and marketing; and Jeff Williams, the corporate’s former chief working officer, based on a report by Apple Insider. On Oct. 10, Bloomberg reported that Federighi additionally will quickly be overseeing the Apple Watch working system watchOS, whereas Ternus shall be overseeing Apple Watch {hardware} engineering as soon as Williams departs on the finish of the 12 months.
Federighi has been with Apple for a very long time and has the general public talking expertise — steadily talking throughout Apple Occasions — that will be important if he changed Cook dinner as CEO. Contemplating his present function, Joswiak has a extra advertising and marketing perspective and a broader overview of the corporate and is probably not as hands-on with the tech as Ternus and Federighi. And based on Gurman, Williams was considered as a shoo-in to be Cook dinner’s substitute till his function as COO was introduced to be ending. (He is now Apple’s senior vice chairman of design, watch and well being.) Cook dinner held the place of chief working officer earlier than he changed Jobs as CEO in 2011. Sabih Khan shall be entering into that COO function, which additionally places his identify within the working.
When Cook dinner steps down, Apple will undoubtedly have a pool of certified expertise to select from to take up the management mantle. Who precisely will take the mantle stays to be seen.
Apple did not instantly reply to a request for remark.