Who is John Ternus? Meet Apple’s new CEO
John Ternus (Photo: Apple)
Apple has announced the appointment of John Ternus as the company’s new CEO. The 51-year-old veteran of hardware engineering will officially replace Tim Cook in this role on September 1, 2026.
RBC-Ukraine takes a closer look at John Ternus and the challenges he will face as CEO of the tech giant.
From display engineer to CEO
John Ternus joined Apple’s product design team in 2001, during the era of Steve Jobs’ return.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, he began his career at the VR startup Virtual Research Systems. At Apple, he rose from a display engineer to head of hardware engineering in 2021.
What has Ternus achieved at Apple?
- Transition to Apple Silicon: He played a key role in moving away from Intel processors to Apple’s own chips for the Mac lineup.
- Development of flagship products: Under his leadership, all generations of iPad, the modern iPhone lineups, and AirPods were developed.
- Environmental innovation: Ternus introduced the use of recycled aluminum and 3D-printed titanium in the Apple Watch Ultra 3, significantly reducing the company’s carbon footprint.
Device durability and repairability: Under his guidance, technologies were implemented to improve device durability and make repairs easier.
Tim Cook, who personally mentored Ternus over the past year, described his successor as someone with “the mind of an engineer and the soul of an innovator.”
John Ternus (Photo: Getty Images)
What worked in Ternus’s favor?
The choice of John Ternus signals Apple’s desire for stability. Unlike Steve Jobs, Ternus is described as a calm and charismatic leader whose management style is closer to Tim Cook’s measured approach.
More interesting: Tim Cook’s iron rules he never breaks: 5 a.m. workouts and energy bars instead of lunch
His candidacy became a priority after Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, previously considered the frontrunner, stepped back from day-to-day operations in 2025.
Age also played an important role: Ternus is now 51 — the same age Cook was when he took over the company. This gives the board confidence in long-term leadership for at least the next decade.
In addition, his experience in display technologies and interfaces became the foundation for the development of the Vision Pro headset.
Cook’s legacy and key challenges for the new leader
Tim Cook leaves Apple in a state of financial strength: the company’s annual profit exceeds $100 billion, and its active device base has reached 2.5 billion.
At the same time, John Ternus will have to address challenges that have intensified in recent years.
Priority tasks for the new CEO
- Catching up in AI: Apple significantly lags behind Silicon Valley competitors in generative artificial intelligence. Ternus will need to lead a major upgrade of Siri and integrate AI across the ecosystem.
- Reviving Vision Pro: The first mixed reality headset has yet to become a mass-market product, and the market is waiting for more affordable and functional versions.
- Maintaining demand in China: Despite record iPhone revenues in January, pressure in the Chinese market remains strong.
JohnTernus (Photo: Apple)
John Ternus’s position as Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering will be taken over by Johny Srouji, who previously led chip development.
Tim Cook will remain CEO throughout the summer of 2026 to ensure the smoothest possible transition of leadership decisions.
