From Steve Jobs to John Ternus: Apple’s CEOs and How They Shaped the Company

Apple recently underwent a major management overhaul with various top executives getting moved from their roles. However, the highlight was the incoming of a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with the change of guard taking place after 15 years. On September 1, John Ternus took charge as the new CEO of Apple from Tim Cook, who held the position from 2011 to 2026. Cook had taken over from the former CEO and founder of the Cupertino company, Steve Jobs, after he succumbed to his battle with cancer. Over the years, the tech giant has had eigth CEOs, each contributing to the company's growth and its future.

Here's the list of all the CEOs in chronological order, along with their contributions in making the iPhone maker what it is today.

Michael Scott (1977 - 1981)

In 1977, Michael Scott became the first CEO of Apple, a company which was going to be a multi trillion dollar giant in the coming decades. Scott was brought in as the head of the company as others in the firm believed that Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were inexperienced to take charge at the time, especially of a company which had recently started off.

According to an AppleInsider report, Scott is infamous for an incident which is now known as ‘Black Wednesday'. On February 25, 1981, reportedly called 40 Apple employees into his office and started firing them one by one. Later, he explained, standing on top of a keg of beer, to the remaining staff members that he did this to take Apple back to its “startup mentality”.

Mike Markkula (1981 – 1983)

Mike Markkula took over the CEO responsibilities from Scott in 1983. He famously convinced Scott to become the first CEO of Apple. With his electrical engineering background, Markkula brought in his technical expertise to the budding company, along with a hefty capital investment in debt and equity. He reportedly a number of initial Apple II programs, while also beta testing Apple's devices and software.

Markulla was the second shortest-serving CEO of Apple, remaining in the role for about two years. However, even after stepping down as the CEO, he stayed on as part of its Board of Directors.

John Sculley (1983 – 1993)

John Sculley is one of the longest-serving and one of the most controversial CEOs of Apple. He was brought in by Steve Jobs to overhaul Apple's marketing strategy. Sculley was skillful, and at the time, employed with Pepsi. After Apple's Board of Directors was made aware of Markulla's decision to eventually step down as the CEO, the Board preferred Sculley to take charge.

This, eventually, led to a power struggle and a conflict between Sculley and Jobs. Jobs had to eventually leave his active role and his seat on the Board of a company he started in his garage years ago. Under Sculley, Apple launched the Desktop Publishing microprocessor, the PowerBook, and one of his most famous launches, System 7. The revenue of the company also grew significantly, giving him a stronger footing in the company, which he was once sceptical about joining.

Michael Spindler (1993 - 1996)

After having a falling out with Apple's Board in 1993, Sculley was forced out of the company, and Michael Spindler was appointed as the next CEO in the same year. At the time, Spindler had already worked with Apple for over 10 years, responsible for its expansion in European countries. He was eventually elevated to the position of President of Apple International. During his tenure, he infamously laid off 2,500 Apple employees. He remained in the role for nearly three years, later moving on.

Gilbert Frank Amelio (1996 - 1997)

Gilbert Frank Amelio took over from Spindler, but his time as the CEO of Apple was also quite short. Interestingly, he remains the shortest-serving CEO of the company, remaining in the role for about a year. He was also in charge of a company that was being seen as a “sinking ship” at the time, with its stock price hitting an all-time low and revenue falling further. Amelio eventually stepped down.

Steve Jobs (1997 – 2011)

With Amelio failing to make things better for and at Apple, the Board of Directors was forced to take some tough decisions. In comes Steve Jobs, the man who changed Apple forever, shaping its future and giving it a philosophy for the better. Jobs returned to Apple after 12 years since he was fired. He took over as the Interim CEO of Apple. He was able to convince the Board for the role by demonstrating his success with Pixar, an animation studio he was already heading. Moreover, Jobs started the company in his parents' garage in 1976. Hence, his professional life had come full circle with him becoming the CEO.

Under Jobs, Apple became what it is today. He was responsible for launching one of the most innovative products in the consumer electronics industry. Under his watch, Apple introduced the Mac computer, iTunes, iPod, App Store, and the iPad. But his most important feat remains the launch of the iPhone in 2007. iPhone not only revolutionised the industry but also transformed the relationship between humans and computers, bridging the gap between an iPod, an internet surfing device, and a phone.

Jobs is still known for product design, keeping devices simple yet interesting. He once famously dropped an iPod prototype in an aquarium when he was dissatisfied with the weight and size of it. He wanted it to be much smaller than it initially was. Dropping it in water demonstrated that there was still some space inside the shell of the prototype and that it could be made more compact.

Tim Cook (2011 – 2026)

After Jobs had to to take off for extended periods of time during his battle with cancer, Tim Cook was asked to step in as the Interim CEO of Apple. After his demise, Cook was appointed as the full-time CEO of the tech giant. Unlike Jobs, Cook was not considered a product guy. Instead, he was lauded for his supply chain expertise. At the time of his appointment as the CEO, the executive had already been part of Apple for more than 13 years.

Under Cook, Apple reached unprecedented heights by becoming a trillion dollar company. Later, Apple also hit a market cap of $4 trillion, continuing to grow its profit margins and revenue. Earlier this year, Apple announced that Cook will be stepping down from the position soon, his last day being August 31. He is now the Executive Chairman of Apple's Board of Directors.

John Ternus (September 1, 2026 – Present)

On September 1, John Ternus took charge as Apple's current CEO. The executive has been part of the company's design team for 25 years, joining the tech giant in 2001. A Mechanical Engineer by degree, Ternus has been behind a number material and product innovations at Apple.

Next week, on September 9, Ternus will be seen on stage at the Apple Park, launching the iPhone 18 Pro series and the company's first book-style foldable, the iPhone Ultra. Ternus is also going to responsible for the success of Apple's AI ecosystem, as the company plans to launch multiple new products and services in near future.

FAQs