Apple Inc. has appointed John Ternus as its next chief executive officer, marking a significant leadership transition at the $4 trillion technology company. Ternus will take over on September 1, 2026, succeeding Tim Cook, who is set to move into the role of executive chairman.

In a statement, Apple said the decision was unanimously approved by its board and is the result of a long-term succession planning process. Cook will remain in his position through the summer, working closely with Ternus to ensure a smooth transition before formally stepping into his new role.

John Ternus has been with Apple for 25 years, joining the product design team in 2001. He steadily rose through the engineering ranks, becoming vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2013 before moving to the executive team in 2021 as senior vice president.

In his current role, Ternus leads all hardware engineering at Apple. His teams work on products across every major category, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro. He has overseen hardware engineering for many generations of these products and played a key part in launching new product lines such as the iPad and AirPods. He also took charge of iPhone hardware in 2020 and Apple Watch hardware in late 2022.

Ternus's impact is particularly visible in the Mac lineup, where his leadership has helped drive a resurgence in performance and global demand. He has also led engineering efforts behind Apple’s latest iPhone lineup, including the iPhone 17 series, as well as major upgrades to AirPods, pushing advancements such as industry-leading noise cancellation and features that position the devices as hearing health tools. He has also been central to innovations in materials and sustainability, including the use of recycled aluminum across devices, 3D-printed titanium in newer Apple Watch models, and improvements in repairability designed to extend product life cycles.

Ternus holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, which he received in 1997. Before joining Apple, he worked as a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research Systems. Tim Cook spoke highly of Ternus, stating, “John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honor. He is a visionary whose contributions to Apple over 25 years are already too numerous to count, and he is without question the right person to lead Apple into the future.”

Ternus responded, stating, “I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple’s mission forward. Having spent almost my entire career at Apple, I have been lucky to have worked under Steve Jobs and to have had Tim Cook as my mentor.”