Overview
- Apple’s board and senior executives have recently intensified preparations for a handover, with reports saying Tim Cook could step down as soon as next year, according to the Financial Times.
- Hardware engineering chief John Ternus is widely viewed inside the company as the leading contender to succeed Cook, though no final decision has been made.
- The company is unlikely to name a successor before its late-January earnings covering the holiday quarter, and sources say the timing of any announcement remains fluid.
- People close to Apple describe the process as long-planned and not related to current performance, with expectations for a strong end-of-year sales period.
- The succession push follows other leadership shifts including COO Jeff Williams’ retirement, the elevation of Sabih Khan, and a CFO transition to Kevan Parekh, while some observers such as Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman question the immediacy of a change.