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Tim Cook signs off as Apple CEO, says ‘title changes but love for community never will’
Tim Cook has been with Apple for almost 30 years and has served as its CEO since 2011. He will now take on the role of Apple's executive chairman.
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Tim Cook bid farewell to Apple as its CEO on Monday, saying his position may change, but his “love for the Apple community” will remain the same as he handed over the leadership to incoming CEO John Ternus.
Notably, Cook has been with Apple for almost 30 years and has served as its CEO since 2011. He became chief executive only weeks before founder Steve Jobs died from pancreatic cancer.
Tim Cook bids farewell to Apple
In a brief post on X, Tim Cook thanked the Apple community and said he is ready for “the next chapter”. He said that while his role was changing, his love for the people at Apple would not.
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"Sending lots of love to the Apple community on my last day as CEO. My title changes tomorrow, but the love I have for the Apple community never will. Thank you for being a constant source of inspiration. My gratitude is endless, and I'm excited for the next chapter!" he said.
During Cook's time as CEO, Apple has grown into one of the world's most valuable companies, with its market value crossing $4.5 trillion on Monday.
Cook will take on the role of Apple's executive chairman, while Ternus becomes CEO on September 1. He is only the second person to lead the company as CEO after Jobs.
ALSO READ | From Steve Jobs to Tim Cook: How Apple’s top leadership quietly changed over 15 years
Cook’s final memo as CEO
In his last memo to employees as CEO, Cook remembered Jobs and described Apple's staff as "extraordinary". He reportedly sent the email to employees on Monday.
"We have made it possible to leave our 'dent in the universe,' as Steve once described it," Cook wrote in the memo on his last day on the job, reported news agency AFP.
"Whatever there is to say about my success, I know it is all because of you," Cook wrote. "I have never seen or been with such an extraordinary team of people before, and every day I get to see more examples of that."
"I love this company and the team behind it," Cook wrote, adding that it has been "the privilege of a lifetime serving as your leader."
Who is John Ternus, the new Apple CEO?
Ternus, 51, joined Apple's design team in 2001 before rising through the company to become senior vice president of hardware engineering, reporting directly to Cook.
He oversaw the engineering teams responsible for Apple's full range of products, including the iPhone, which brings in most of the company's revenue.
Ternus was closely involved in Apple's move to Apple Silicon and has played a key role in the company's recent hardware developments, including the iPhone 17 Air.
He will have little time to get settled into the new role, as Apple is scheduled to hold its annual iPhone event on September 9. The company is expected to introduce its first foldable handset at the event.
With inputs from agencies
