John Ternus takes Apple CEO role as Tim Cook becomes chair

John Ternus is now chief executive officer of Apple, while Tim Cook has become executive chairman of the company’s board after more than a decade as CEO. Ternus, previously Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, took over on September 1, 2026, and joined the board as part of the planned succession.\n\nThe transition was designed well in advance and places a longtime Apple operator in the top seat. Ternus has spent his career close to the company’s product engine; Cook’s move keeps his experience inside the boardroom while giving the new CEO a clear mandate to lead the next phase.\n\nA first public test in Cupertino\n\nTernus’s first major showcase as CEO came in September, when Apple unveiled its latest hardware lineup. CNBC describes him as an engineer by background and Apple’s second CEO since co-founder Steve Jobs. Bloomberg’s coverage of the launch framed the new role around the expectations attached to leading Apple’s product and artificial-intelligence agenda.\n\nThe succession is also a boardroom change: Arthur Levinson moved from non-executive chairman to lead independent director, while Ternus joined the board. The structure separates day-to-day leadership from executive oversight without breaking the company’s long-planned continuity.