As Apple CEO Tim Cook marked his 65th birthday on Saturday, November 1, conversation across the global tech and entertainment scene has shifted to one question: who will lead Apple when Cook eventually steps down? There has been no announcement from Cook or Apple suggesting an imminent retirement, but industry observers say the company is already preparing for the day the transition happens.
Cook took over leadership of Apple in 2011 following the death of co-founder Steve Jobs. While Jobs is credited with introducing revolutionary products like the iPhone, Cook expanded Apple’s universe into a lifestyle ecosystem. Under his leadership, Apple launched subscription services such as Apple Music and Apple TV+, introduced the Apple Watch and AirPods, and integrated Beats into Apple’s audio brand. He also oversaw the rollout of Apple Pay, pushing Apple into the center of digital payments.
The result has been staggering financial success. According to Stocktwits data, Apple’s stock has surged by roughly 1,800% since Cook became CEO, making him one of the most successful corporate leaders in modern history.
Despite this, time moves forward — even for the biggest names in tech. Industry experts say Apple has been quietly planning for Cook’s eventual exit to ensure that the world’s most valuable company avoids a leadership vacuum.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple has been nurturing a pool of internal talent who could take the top role. Among the possible successors is John Ternus, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Engineering. Ternus has been with Apple for more than 20 years and recently led the engineering behind the iPhone Air. At 50, he is the same age Cook was when he took over from Jobs.
Another name in the conversation is Craig Federighi, the senior vice president of Software Engineering. Known for his polished stage presence during Apple’s iconic keynote events, Federighi is widely seen as someone comfortable in the public spotlight — a crucial skill for anyone leading one of the world’s most influential brands.
The list of internal contenders extends further to Greg Joswiak, Apple’s head of worldwide marketing, and Sabih Khan, the company’s new chief operating officer. Jeff Williams — who was long viewed as Cook’s most likely successor — stepped into a new role overseeing Apple’s design, watch, and health divisions, which has shifted perceptions of his future at the company.
Bryan Ma, VP of Devices Research at IDC, says Apple’s leadership pipeline is well-developed, but the stakes are high: “The next generation of leaders have very big shoes to fill. When a company is this iconic, the world watches every move.”
For now, Cook remains firmly in charge — and Apple continues pushing forward with new hardware, expanding entertainment ventures through Apple TV+, and preparing its next phase of innovation.
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