Archive · 23 Jan 2026
Apple's John Ternus Groomed for CEO Role
Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, has been giving more responsibilities to John Ternus, who is in charge of making Apple's hardware.
Now, Ternus is also leading the team that designs Apple's products.
This is seen as a way to prepare Ternus to become the next CEO.
Cook hasn't said he's retiring, but Ternus is being trained to take over.
Ternus is respected for his technical skills and steady leadership, but some people worry he might not be as charismatic or innovative as needed.
Still, he's young and could lead Apple for a long time if chosen.
John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering, has taken charge of Apple’s design teams, signaling potential grooming for the CEO role.
Tim Cook has not announced his retirement but has been expanding Ternus' responsibilities since Jeff Williams' retirement in 2025.
Ternus now oversees product design and represents design leaders in top-level meetings, working alongside software engineering chief Craig Federighi and marketing head Greg Joswiak.
Ternus is respected for his technical precision and understanding of Apple’s supply chain, but some employees question his charisma and geopolitical acumen.
At 50, Ternus is Apple’s youngest senior executive and could potentially lead the company for decades if chosen as CEO.
- Who
- Tim Cook (Apple CEO) and John Ternus (Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering)
- What
- John Ternus is taking charge of Apple’s design teams, seen as preparation for a potential CEO role
- When
- Since late 2025, after Jeff Williams' retirement
- Where
- Apple Inc.
- Why
- To groom Ternus for the CEO position and expose him to more facets of Apple’s operations
- Tim Cook
- Apple CEO
- John Ternus
- Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering and now Design Teams
- Jeff Williams
- Former Chief Operating Officer who retired in 2025
- Craig Federighi
- Chief of Software Engineering
- Greg Joswiak
- Head of Marketing