Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced that he is stepping down from his role at the Cupertino giant after almost 15 years at the helm. Cook wrote a letter to the Apple community as he passes the baton to John Ternus, the head of hardware engineering. Here is what Tim had to say.
It is the end of an era at Apple. Tim Cook, the person who led the Cupertino giant for almost 15 years, is stepping down. Cook played a major role in Apple growth, having taken the realms of the company from Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in 2011. Tim will be succeeded by the company’s hardware engineering chief John Ternus.
Tim Cook will continue as CEO till September 1, 2026, before transitioning to the role of executive chairman on Apple’s board. Under Cook’s leadership, Apple experienced unprecedented growth, launching new products like the Apple Watch and services such as Apple Music and Apple TV Plus.
The company also became the first in the US to reach a market valuation of $1 trillion in 2018, eventually reaching $4 trillion in 2022. When Tim had assumed the role of CEO, Apple’s market cap was $350 billion.
What did Tim Cook say?
In a letter addressed to the Apple community, Tim opens up about his time at the Cupertino giant. He admitted that in his heart, the role of Apple CEO was the “best job in the world.”
He recalls receiving emails and messages from Apple users who loved using the company’s products. Cook wrote, “You share little pieces of your lives with me and tell me things you want me to know about how Apple has touched you.”
The Apple chief was glad to be leading a company that had managed to make lives of consumers better. He explained, “I feel a gratitude that I cannot put into words, that I somehow got to be the person on the other end of those emails.” Cook added, “The leader of a company that ignites imaginations and enriches lives in such profound ways it defies description. What an honor and a privilege it has been.”
Tim Cook calls John Ternus a brilliant engineer
Cook claimed that John Ternus was “the perfect person for the job”, given his vast experience at Cupertino. He wrote, “John Ternus [is] a brilliant engineer and thinker who has spent the past 25 years building the Apple products our users love so much, obsessed with every detail, focused on every possible way we can make something better, bolder, more beautiful, and more meaningful.”
Tim Cook insisted that Apple was about to reach new heights in its new era with Ternus at the helm. He added, “I can’t wait for you to get to know him like I do.”
Not a goodbye, says Tim Cook
Tim may vacate his role as CEO in September this year, but he will stay on Apple’s board. Cook assured Apple users that he was still going to be around. He wrote, “This is not goodbye. But at this moment of transition.”
To conclude the letter, Cook expressed his gratitude, claiming that he wanted to thank every Apple user for changing his life. Tim explained, “A person who grew up in a rural place in a different time and, for these magical moments, got to be the CEO of the greatest company in the world. Thank you for the confidence and kindness you’ve shown me.”
