Meet the 51-year-old former swimming champion who will succeed Tim Cook as Apple CEO

Apple has officially announced its most significant leadership transition in more than a decade.

John Ternus, the company’s 51-year-old senior vice president of hardware engineering, has been named successor to CEO Tim Cook, with the inauguration scheduled for September 1. Cook will assume the role of executive chairman of the board and remain CEO through the summer to lead the transition.

“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be CEO of Apple and to have the confidence to lead such an extraordinary company,” Cook said in a statement. “I love Apple with all my being,” he added, saying Ternus has “the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and honor.”

Industry observers and internal Apple sources already pointed to Ternus as the most likely candidate to take command of one of the most valuable technology companies in the world, according to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, known for his accurate coverage of the company.

Speculation gained strength after director of operations Jeff Williams, previously considered Cook’s natural successor, left operational duties in July 2025. With his departure from the dispute, Ternus began to be seen as the main heir to the position.

Who is John Ternus?

Ternus brings together technical experience and in-depth knowledge of the company. Mechanical engineer, he joined Apple in 2001 and has participated in the engineering of practically all of its current major products. His work is present in several generations of the iPad, the most recent line of iPhones and the AirPods. He also played a central role in the transition of Macs to Apple’s own chips and gained prominence at recent company events, presenting products such as the new iPhone Air.

“He is a visionary whose contributions over 25 years are countless, and he is undoubtedly the right person to lead Apple into the future,” said Cook.

According to Gurman, Apple’s public relations team had already been increasing Ternus’ exposure, indicating preparation for a gradual transition of power. In addition to engineering, he began to influence strategic decisions, product roadmaps and features — areas normally reserved for more senior executives.

At 51, Ternus is similar in age to Cook when he took office in 2011, which leaves room for long-term leadership. Its technical profile also aligns with the company’s strategy in areas such as artificial intelligence and mixed reality.

From university to the top of Apple

Ternus began his career at the University of Pennsylvania, where he excelled academically and as an athlete. He graduated in mechanical engineering in 1997 and was also a competitive swimmer, winning events such as the 50-meter freestyle and the 200-meter individual medley.

After graduating, he worked at Virtual Research Systems, a company involved in the initial development of virtual reality, an experience that would later contribute to projects such as the Apple Vision Pro.

He joined Apple in 2001, during a pivotal moment for the company under the leadership of Steve Jobs. He started in more junior roles in product design, initially working on Mac displays.

In 2013, he became vice president of hardware engineering, leading the development of AirPods, Macs and iPads. In 2020, he also took charge of iPhone engineering, previously led by Dan Riccio. With Riccio’s departure from that role in 2021, Ternus was promoted to senior vice president and joined Apple’s executive team.

In recent years, it has gained visibility at company events, presenting new products such as the iMac, MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Mac Pro, in addition to leading the announcement of Apple’s own chips and new iPhones.

For Gurman, Ternus stands out for his charisma and the trust he gained within the company. He became a key player in decisions about products and strategy, expanding his influence beyond engineering.

The choice reinforces Apple’s preference for promoting internal executives and indicates a greater focus on technical innovation. Amid the challenges with Vision Pro and the race for advances in artificial intelligence, the company is betting that leadership with a strong technical profile will be essential for its next phase.