Apple has announced the appointment of "John Ternus" as the new CEO, replacing Tim Cook who is stepping down after leading the company for 15 years, while Cook will move up to Executive Chairman.
On 21 April 2026, Apple Inc. announced the appointment of John Ternus as its new Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Tim Cook who is preparing to step down after taking over from Steve Jobs for 15 years. The company stated that Ternus, currently head of hardware engineering and with 25 years at Apple, will officially assume the position on 1 September 2026, while Cook will advance to Executive Chairman.
Apple stated that Cook will continue as CEO throughout this summer to facilitate a smooth transition and provide support before assuming his new role. He will assist with certain company affairs, including coordinating with global policymakers. Cook said serving as CEO has been the greatest honor of his life. During his leadership, the company grew to become one of the most valuable in the world. In 2018, Apple became the first publicly traded company to reach a market value of 1 trillion US dollars (approximately 36 trillion baht), and it currently has a market value of around 4 trillion US dollars (approximately 144 trillion baht).
Cook became CEO in 2011 after Steve Jobs, co-founder of the company, resigned due to health reasons and passed away shortly afterward. Cook's stepping down follows months of speculation that Apple was seeking a successor.
Cook praised Ternus as a visionary executive with an engineer’s mind, an innovator’s spirit, and a leader’s heart rooted in integrity. Ternus has been the frontrunner for the CEO role since last year. Over 25 years at Apple, he has played key roles in nearly every major product, including multiple iPhone models, all generations of iPad, as well as the launches of AirPods and Apple Watch. He also led the transition of Mac computer processors from Intel chips to Apple’s own developed chips.
Analysts view the selection of a hardware-focused leader as a sign that Apple aims to refocus on new product innovation after years of criticism that, despite continuous financial growth, its products have lacked the excitement seen during the early iPhone launch era.