Ternus Takes Helm at Apple, Succeeding Cook After 15-Year Tenure

Tim Cook's 15-year tenure as Apple CEO has come to an end. John Ternus, who joined Apple in 2001 and became senior vice president of hardware engineering in 2021, took over as CEO on September 1. In a rare public statement, Tim Cook praised Ternus' skills, calling him 'the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity.'

Cook himself will transition into the role of executive chairman, where he will engage with global policymakers and assist on select company matters. Notably, Apple's market capitalization has risen from $350 billion when Cook took over to around $4 trillion, while its annual revenue has grown from $108 billion in 2011 to more than $400 billion.

Ternus will inherit the challenge of accelerating Apple's artificial intelligence strategy, a critical juncture for the company. His team recently launched the ultrathin iPhone Air and new MacBook Neo.