Apple's Tim Cook may retire soon: Who will replace him?
What's the story
Apple is said to be ramping up its succession planning, with Tim Cook's potential exit as CEO coming as early as next year. John Ternus, the company's senior vice president of hardware engineering, is widely seen as Cook's most likely successor. The Financial Times reported this, citing several people familiar with discussions within Apple. Rumors of Cook's resignation emerged after Apple's top boss turned 65 this year.
Career trajectory
Ternus's role and contributions at Apple
Ternus has been with Apple since 2001, starting in the Product Design team. He became vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2013 and now oversees all hardware engineering efforts for products like the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and AirPods. Before joining Apple, he worked as a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research Systems after earning his Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
Leadership perspective
Cook's commitment to Apple and future plans
Apple is unlikely to announce a new CEO until after its next earnings report in late January. Last year, Cook had said he would continue leading Apple until he felt it was time to leave. "I love this place... It's a privilege of a lifetime to be here," he had said at the time. "And I'll do it until the voice in my head says, 'It's time,' and then I'll go and focus on what the next chapter looks like."