Business

End of an Era as Tim Cook Hands Apple Reins to John Ternus

Published: 1 September 2026 · 1 min read

What Happened

Tim Cook marked his final day as CEO of Apple with an emotional memo to employees, saying he would"miss this work" and calling it the "privilege of a lifetime" to lead the company. Cook thanked Apple staff for their contributions and expressed confidence in his successor, John Ternus, who takes over as CEO on September 1. While stepping down from the CEO role, Cook said he is not leaving Apple and will remain involved with the company in a different capacity.

Key Takeaways

Cook's departure ends a historic 15-year tenure that saw Apple expand far beyond the iPhone, with products such as Apple Watch and AirPods and major growth in services. His farewell message emphasized Apple's culture, teamwork and long-term mission, while signaling a smooth leadership transition to John Ternus.

Sources

Appleinsider, Moneycontrol