John Turnus has taken the helm at Apple: Tim Cook remains on the board of directors

Apple has seen a change of chief executive for the first time in 15 years. As of 1 September, the company is now led by John Turnus, who was previously in charge of hardware development for the iPhone, Mac, iPad and other devices.

Tim Cook has not left Apple: following the handover, he has taken up the post of Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. This arrangement is intended to ensure continuity whilst Turnus settles into his broader role.

Details

Apple announced the handover as early as 20 April. The Board of Directors approved the decision unanimously, and on 1 September, Turnus also joined the board. Arthur Levinson, who was previously the non-executive chairman, became lead independent director.

Ternus joined Apple’s industrial design team in 2001. In 2013, he became Vice President of Hardware Engineering, and in 2021 he joined the company’s senior management as Senior Vice President. According to Apple, he helped develop the iPad and AirPods, as well as several generations of the iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch.

Before joining Apple, Ternus worked as a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research Systems. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in mechanical engineering.

Cook has led Apple since August 2011. During this time, the company has launched the Apple Watch, AirPods and Vision Pro, expanded its services division and transitioned Mac computers to its own processors. According to Apple’s own figures, its annual revenue grew from $108 billion in the 2011 financial year to over $416 billion in 2025. These figures were cited by the company in its announcement regarding the change in leadership.

In his new role, Cook will continue to play an active part in Apple’s operations, including liaising with authorities in various countries. Ternus, whose career has previously focused on devices, will now be responsible for the entire business — from artificial intelligence and services to supply chains and relations with regulators.

Why this matters

This is the first change of leadership at Apple since 2011. The company is handing over the reins not to an outsider, but to an engineer who has spent a quarter of a century within the organisation. This choice may place greater emphasis on products and hardware development; however, Apple has not yet announced any strategic changes, so it is too early to draw conclusions about future devices.

The transition comes at a time when technology manufacturers are redesigning their products around artificial intelligence, whilst global supply chains remain vulnerable to trade restrictions and component shortages. For Turnus, the main challenge will no longer be the launch of a single device, but the coordination of hardware, software, services and commercial solutions across the entire company.

Consumers should not expect any immediate changes: Tim Cook remains on board, and the leadership transition has been in the works for some time. The new CEO’s real priorities will become clearer following the next product launches, investments in AI, and Apple’s decisions on pricing and manufacturing.

Source

• TechXplore: ‘Apple’s new CEO, John Ternus, takes over from Tim Cook after 15 years’, 1 September 2026; article by The Associated Press.
• Apple Newsroom: announcement regarding the appointment of John Ternus and Tim Cook’s new role, 20 April 2026.
• Apple Leadership: profile of John Ternus, as at 1 September 2026.
• The Associated Press: confirmation of Ternus’s appointment, 1 September 2026.

Photo: Amy Osborne / European Union. Reuse, including for commercial purposes and the creation of derivative works, is permitted provided the source is credited; © European Union, 1998–2026.