John Ternus could replace Tim Cook as next Apple CEO
As Apple's existing CEO Tim Cook approaches his 64th birthday, speculation about his successor is rife in the tech industry. Cook stepped into significant responsibilities as CEO, succeeding founder Steve Jobs in 2011. A Bloomberg report identifies John Ternus (49), current head of hardware engineering and a long-serving Apple veteran, as the likely candidate. Ternus has been instrumental in leading significant projects such as the iPad, AirPods, and the latest iPhone series.
From product design to executive team
Ternus joined Apple in 2001, starting his journey in the Product Design team. He climbed the ranks to become Vice President of Hardware Engineering in 2013. His tenure has seen him oversee the engineering of all iPad models, recent iPhone series, and AirPods. In 2021, he joined Apple's executive team, becoming an increasingly influential figure within the company. Ternus has also played a crucial role in guiding Mac's transition to Apple silicon.
Respected and favored for CEO role
Before joining Apple, Ternus was a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research Systems. He earned his Mechanical Engineering degree from University of Pennsylvania. Ternus is well-regarded within Apple. An insider told Bloomberg, "Tim likes him a lot because he can give a good presentation, he's very mild-mannered, never puts anything into an email that is controversial and is a very reticent decision-maker." Eddy Cue, one of Cook's closest executives, also hints at Ternus being the next CEO.
Apple's succession plan: A long-term solution sought
While other potential successors like Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams (61) were considered, they were ultimately ruled out due to age considerations. Bloomberg suggests that Williams could potentially step in as an interim leader if an immediate change occurs. However, for a long-term solution, Apple's board would prefer an executive who could serve for at least 10 years, favoring Ternus due to his current position and standing within the company.
Other contenders in the race for CEO role
As per the report, other "unlikely" candidates include Craig Federighi (Senior Vice President - Software Engineering), Deirdre O'Brien (Senior Vice President - Retail), Phil Schiller (Apple Fellow), and Dan Riccio (Senior Vice President - Hardware Engineering).
