Apple is at the cusp of its most significant leadership shift in over a decade. Several senior executives are preparing to depart, and the question of who will succeed Tim Cook as CEO is gaining urgency.
One notable exit is Jeff Williams, long considered a strong candidate to replace Cook. He has given up his role as Chief Operating Officer and is expected to leave Apple by year’s end. This change marks the first major leadership shift at the top since the exits of Jony Ive and Angela Ahrendts in 2019.
Other departures or transitions are expected across Apple’s executive ranks:
- John Giannandrea, who leads Apple’s AI and machine learning efforts, has experienced shifting responsibilities and internal debates about the future direction of Siri and broader AI strategy.
- Johny Srouji, head of hardware technologies and architect of Apple’s in-house silicon, is reportedly evaluating his next steps. Possible successors include Zongjian Chen and Sri Santhanam.
- Lisa Jackson, in charge of environment, policy, and social initiatives, may also scale back her involvement as deputies take over federal affairs.
At 65, Tim Cook is nearing an era of transition. With no clear successor currently in place, speculation has intensified around John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering. Ternus has become increasingly prominent, leading product launches and appearing in public-facing roles—a sign some interpret as grooming for the CEO chair.
The reshuffle suggests that Apple is preparing for a generational change. As the company faces new challenges in AI, mixed reality, and global markets, the next leader must balance continuity with innovation to maintain Apple’s trajectory.
