Here's who's most likely to be Apple CEO Tim Cook's successor

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Apple is once again facing a royal succession. As Tim Cook, the company's current CEO, nears his mid-60s, there have been talks of who will eventually replace him.

 

While there are several contenders, one name has emerged as the frontrunner in the past months: John Ternus, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering.

 

 

Recently, Ternus was mentioned again in the Power On newsletter by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, following the announcement of Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri’s upcoming stepping down. Maestri will hand over the CFO reins to Kevan Parekh on January 1, but he’ll retain oversight of key areas including Information Systems and Technology, information security, and real estate development. 

 

Although the 63-year-old Cook isn’t expected to pack up his office anytime soon, Gurman, known for his insider scoops on the highly secretive company, has tipped Ternus as the likely victor for the next CEO. Meanwhile, Cook might step into an executive chairman role.

 

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Cook will probably become Apple’s executive chairman when he hands off the CEO job to who I believe will be hardware engineering chief John Ternus.

 

Ternus has been a behind-the-scenes maestro for the company since 2001. His fingerprints are all over some of Apple’s most iconic products, from the sleek lines of the iPhone to the power-packed MacBook.

 

Colleagues have praised Ternus’s technical prowess and managerial skills, describing him as a “trustworthy hand” who consistently delivers results. His ability to translate complex technical concepts into layman's terms has endeared him to Apple's upper echelons, making him a natural fit for the public-facing role of CEO.

 

The transition from Jobs to Cook marked a significant shift for the company, and the next succession will likely be no less impactful. Whoever takes the helm will inherit not just a trillion-dollar company, but the weighty expectations of consumers, investors, and tech enthusiasts worldwide.

 

• https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-john-ternus-exec-tipped-replace-tim-cook-ceo-2024-9 
• https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-09-01/apple-s-succession-strategy-m4-mac-mini-cheaper-ipad-magic-keyboard-m0jkdrx5 

 

Images: Xi Zhang | Dreamstime.com, Apple