Apple CEO Tim Cook turned 65 on November 1, leading to renewed speculation about when he might step down and who might replace him.
Four names have led the rumors to date, although the one most frequently mentioned was ruled out back in the summer …
Tim Cook isn’t going anywhere yet
Tim Cook just turned 65, an age at which many people retire. With more money than he could ever spend, and a plan to give most of it away, clearly there is no financial impetus for him to remain in post.
However, there is no sign of him retiring anytime soon. While he said back in 2021 that he doesn’t expect to still be at Apple in 2031, that’s still some time away. It was reported later that year that he wanted to oversee one more major new product category before stepping down. Since Vision Pro is merely a niche interim product, the most obvious candidate here is an Apple Glasses device.
However, when it comes to a decision of this magnitude, it’s obvious that the company has to begin succession planning a considerable time in advance.
The potential successors as Apple CEO
For a great many years, there was one very obvious candidate: Jeff Williams. As chief operating officer, Williams held the role from which Cook was promoted. The COO role is also one which gives one of the broadest bird’s-eye views of the company.
That idea ended back in July when it was announced that Williams was stepping down from the COO role ahead of his subsequent retirement later this year.
Top of the prospects list now is John Ternus, Apple’s SVP of hardware engineering. A report earlier this year said that he was well respected throughout the company, and Eddy Cue reportedly favors him.
Ternus is well-liked inside Apple, and he’s earned the respect of Cook, Williams and other leaders. “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,” says one person close to Apple’s executive team. “He has a lot of managerial characteristics like Tim.”
Christopher Stringer, a former top Apple hardware designer, called Ternus a “trustworthy hand” who’s “never failed with any role he’s been elevated to.” Eddy Cue, the Apple executive known as Cook’s closest confidant, has privately told colleagues that Ternus should be the next CEO, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
Phil Schiller seems an unlikely prospect as he is the same age as Cook, and the company likely wants to choose someone expected to stick around for a decade or more.
Software engineering head Craig Federighi is a very familiar face in Apple keynotes, but previous reports have described him as an unlikely pick. Marketing chief Greg Joswiak is another potential choice, but the lack of speculation surrounding him suggests that he either has no interest in the role or is not being seriously considered.
Top comment by KJ705
Have to trust in the process, really. I would think that Cook will have a massive impact on the choice to succeed him.
Over the last decade and half, the value of the "supply chain" guy in terms of company growth has been readily apparent. There's a skill set there that one doesn't necessarily acquire in product development or marketing. No preferences here. Just hope Apple University is doing what it's supposed to do.
Perhaps the least well-known potential candidate is Williams’ replacement, Sabih Khan. If Cook is planning to step down in around five years, the timing could be on his side. There’s plenty of time for him to become better known outside the company, and Cook has certainly spoken very highly of him.
“Sabih is a brilliant strategist who has been one of the central architects of Apple’s supply chain. While overseeing Apple’s supply chain, he has helped pioneer new technologies in advanced manufacturing, overseen the expansion of Apple’s manufacturing footprint in the United States, and helped ensure that Apple can be nimble in response to global challenges. He has advanced our ambitious efforts in environmental sustainability, helping reduce Apple’s carbon footprint by more than 60 percent. Above all, Sabih leads with his heart and his values, and I know he will make an exceptional chief operating officer.”
Given Cook’s undeniable success in driving the growth of the company, another former COO does seem like a strong prospect.
Who would you most like to see succeed Cook when he eventually retires? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
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