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Who Will Be Apple’s Next CEO After Tim Cook? John Ternus Could Reportedly Take Charge

Who Will Be Apple’s Next CEO After Tim Cook? John Ternus Could Reportedly Take Charge

John Ternus is currently working at Apple as the Vice President of Hardware Engineering.

Written by Akash Dutta, Edited by Ketan Pratap | Updated: 6 October 2025 10:46 IST

Who Will Be Apple’s Next CEO After Tim Cook? John Ternus Could Reportedly Take Charge

Photo Credit: Reuters

Recently, Apple has witnessed several departures from the senior executive ranks

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Highlights

Ternus is reportedly considered the main candidate to replace Tim Cook
Before Ternus, Jeff Williams was considered the heir to the CEO position
Ternus has been working at Apple for more than 24 years

Apple's list of senior executives who have left the company is growing long. From former design chief Jony Ive and retail head Angela Ahrendts in 2019 to former Chief Financial Officer, Luca Maestri, and former Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Williams, in the last two years, the company has lost a significant part of its vanguard. While the Cupertino-based tech giant has been able to find replacements for these roles, one position that reportedly lacks a true successor is the CEO role, currently held by Tim Cook. So, who will become the next CEO of the company?

Apple's Next CEO to Reportedly Come from the Hardware Division

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in the Power On newsletter, Williams was said to be the heir to the CEO role after Tim Cook. However, when he announced the decision to retire earlier this year, that option was gone. With Tim Cook turning 65 next month, discussions around the succession of the CEO position are reportedly being held in the company.

Gurman claims that while in an emergency scenario, the role can be filled on an interim basis by the new COO, Sabih Khan or the retail chief, Deirdre O'Brien; the formal transition could bring John Ternum into the picture. The report claims that Ternus, who currently serves as the Vice President of Hardware Engineering at Apple and has worked in the company for the last 24 years, is the leading contender for the role.

This Is When Apple Can Announce Its October Event

Making a few arguments in favour of Ternus, Gurman claims that his current age of 50 works in his favour, as he can lead for a decade or more if things go well. Interestingly, Cook was also 50 when he took over the CEO role. The report claims that most of the other executives are either younger or much older than Ternus.

Gurman also claimed that Ternus is well-regarded by Apple loyalists and is trusted by Cook, “The executive has emerged as a key decision-maker on product road maps, features and strategies, extending his influence beyond the traditional scope of a hardware engineering chief,” he added.

An example of his rising stature in the company, the report claims, is the fact that Ternus introduced iPhone Air, the company's first new iPhone form factor in many years. He reportedly welcomed customers at Apple's Regent Street store in London on September 19 when the iPhone 17 series went on sale.

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Further reading: Apple, Tim Cook, Enterprise

Akash Dutta Email Akash Dutta

Akash Dutta is a Chief Sub Editor at Gadgets 360. He is particularly interested in the social impact of technological developments and loves reading about emerging fields such as AI, metaverse, and fediverse. In his free time, he can be seen supporting his favourite football club - Chelsea, watching movies and anime, and sharing passionate opinions on food. More