--- title: "The Tim Cook Era Ends: John Ternus Takes the Helm at Apple Amid the AI Race and Leadership Shake-Up" description: "After 15 years at the helm, Tim Cook has left the CEO post at Apple, becoming Executive Chairman of the Board. John Ternus is the new CEO, who must now steer the company through the AI race and sweeping leadership changes." date: 2026-09-01T07:26:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/tim-cook-steps-down-as-apple-ceo-john-ternus-takes-over tags: [apple, tim-cook, john-ternus, ceo, iphone-18-pro, ai, apple-silicon] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # The Tim Cook Era Ends: John Ternus Takes the Helm at Apple Amid the AI Race and Leadership Shake-Up ![Speaker at an Apple keynote on stage with giant iMac-style screens and logo — leadership transition and AI strategy](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/01/tim-kuk-pokinyaet-post-ceo-apple-dzhon-ternus-stanet-novym-glavoy/tim-kuk-pokinyaet-post-ceo-apple-dzhon-ternus-stanet-novym-glavoy-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Tim Cook has left the CEO post at Apple after 15 years of leadership, having succeeded Steve Jobs in 2011. - The new CEO is John Ternus, who previously headed hardware engineering; he will become the third CEO since 1997. - Cook remains at the company as Executive Chairman of the Board, handling political and government contacts. - Ternus must replace the outgoing senior leadership tier and adapt Apple to the AI era; his first test is the September 9 event featuring the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra. Apple is entering a new era: after 15 years at the helm, CEO Tim Cook is stepping down, handing the company over to John Ternus — the senior vice president of hardware engineering who has spent more than 25 years at the corporation. RBC-Ukraine reports this, citing Mark Gurman's analysis for Bloomberg. Ternus will become the third CEO of Apple since 1997, following Steve Jobs and Cook himself, who took over the company in August 2011, succeeding the co-founder. ### Cook's Farewell and New Role On August 31, Cook published an address to employees announcing the end of his tenure as CEO. He is not, however, leaving Apple entirely: taking on the role of Executive Chairman of the Board, he will focus on engaging with politicians and government bodies around the world, including maintaining direct contacts with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and with Chinese authorities. In his farewell letter, Cook emphasized the importance of corporate culture, stating that "this place is proof that culture wins," and thanked the team for being a "constant source of inspiration." ### A Hardware Specialist at the Top Ternus's appointment, having previously led hardware engineering, is read as a signal of Apple's desire to strengthen its focus on performance engineering and product execution. Under his direct leadership, the company shipped a number of its latest products. Cook, for his part, noted: "I feel a tremendous sense of relief handing the wheel to someone as brilliant, wonderful, and capable as John. Few understand what it takes to build world-changing products the way John does." ### A Purge of the Middle Management Unlike Cook, who in 2011 relied on a stable team of managers, the new CEO faces the need to replace the key leadership tier: most of the current vice presidents are approaching retirement age (60+) and preparing to step down. In the crosshairs are Johny Srouji (senior vice president of hardware technology, the architect of Apple Silicon), Deirdre O'Brien (with Apple since 1988, retail and HR), Luca Maestri (former CFO, final departure expected), and Greg Josviak (marketing, with the company since 1986). Among those being considered for their roles are, in particular, Lilian Rincón and Kaan Dranc. ### The AI Race and the First Test Ternus takes the reins at a moment when Apple must adapt its vast device portfolio and services business to the demands of the artificial intelligence era. The new leader's first public test is set for September 9 — just 8 days after he takes office. The traditional autumn event is expected to debut the iPhone 18 Pro lineup and announce the company's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Ultra. ### Contradictory Data The sources contain a minor discrepancy in the transition dates. The Russian-language coverage (RBC-Ukraine) names September 1, 2026 as Cook's last day as CEO, whereas the wording in his English social-media post — "on my last day as CEO. My title changes tomorrow" — indicates that the post was published on August 31, with the change of status taking place the following day, September 1. Thus, both versions agree that the actual transfer of authority to Ternus occurred on September 1, but they differ on which exact day Cook himself called "his last day as CEO." ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Tim Cook Hands Over the Apple Helm: New CEO Receives the Company Amid the AI Race](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/tim-kuk-peredae-shturval-apple-noviy-ceo-1788246749.html) - Основной источник: уход Кука, назначение Тернуса, роль Executive Chairman, кадровые изменения и презентация 9 сентября. - [Tim Cook Steps Down as Head of Apple](https://www.mk.ru/politics/army/2026/09/01/tim-kuk-ushel-s-posta-glavy-apple.html) - Независимое подтверждение факта передачи поста CEO. - [Tim Cook Wrote a Moving Letter to Apple Employees on His Last Day as CEO](https://www.iphones.ru/iNotes/tim-kuk-napisal-trogatelnoe-pismo-sotrudnikam-apple-v-svoy-posledniy-den-na-postu-gendirektora) - Подтверждение прощального обращения и цитат Кука. - [The Cook Era Nears Its End: John Ternus to Become Apple's Next CEO](https://www.notebookcheck-ru.com/EHpokha-Kuka-podkhodit-k-koncu-Dzhon-Ternus-stanet-sledujushchim-generalnym-direktorom-Apple.1384412.0.html) - Подтверждение назначения Тернуса и контекста смены руководства. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Who will be the new CEO of Apple? **A:** The new CEO of Apple is John Ternus, who has worked at the company for more than 25 years and previously served as senior vice president of hardware engineering. ### Q: Is Tim Cook leaving Apple entirely? **A:** No. Cook is taking on the role of Executive Chairman of the Board and will focus on working with politicians and government bodies, including contacts with the U.S. administration and Chinese authorities. ### Q: How many years did Cook lead Apple? **A:** 15 years: he took over the company in August 2011, succeeding Steve Jobs. ### Q: What are the main tasks for the new CEO? **A:** Ternus must replace the outgoing senior leadership tier (Srouji, O'Brien, Maestri, Josviak) and adapt Apple's product and services business to the demands of the artificial intelligence era. ### Q: When is Ternus's first public test? **A:** September 9, 2026, at Apple's autumn event, where the debut of the iPhone 18 Pro and the announcement of the first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Ultra, are expected.