Apple’s CEO Shake-up: Tim Cook Approaching Exit as Succession Plans Accelerate

The Apple board and top executives have accelerated plans to replace Tim Cook as the Chief Executive Officer, with the transition possibly occurring as soon as next year, according to the Financial Times. Tim Cook has led the company for over 14 years, having succeeded Steve Jobs in 2011. Under his leadership, Apple’s market capitalization has soared past $4 trillion, launching key products like the Apple Watch, AirPods, Vision Pro mixed reality headset, alongside services such as Apple Arcade and Apple TV+.

The primary candidate for the CEO role, according to FT’s source, is John Ternus, Senior Vice President of Engineering. He has been part of Apple since 2001, starting with the Product Design team and later leading the Hardware Engineering department. Ternus was instrumental in the transition of Mac from Intel processors to Apple Silicon chips, a move that significantly boosted device performance.

As the publication notes, a final decision on the appointment has not yet been made. An official announcement is likely before the financial report release in January 2026, allowing the new leadership to prepare for Apple’s annual presentations. Previously, the company had already made some leadership changes, seeing Sabih Khan taking over as Chief Operating Officer from Jeff Williams.

A CEO transition at Apple is a landmark event for the tech industry. Cook, one of the most successful leaders in the company’s history, has ensured steady growth even amidst global challenges. New elements within the leadership shuffle include potential contrasts in strategic directions, with Ternus bringing a strong engineering focus. Apple insiders insist that continuity and innovation remain paramount, with stakeholders closely watching for signals of future developments, possibly aligning with expanding AI and health technology sectors.