It has been reported by Mark Gurman at Bloomberg that Apple Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering John Ternus could be in the running for Apple’s CEO position, and eventually take over current CEO Tim Cook.
Those who are in the know of the inner workings and circle of Apple and its C-Suite executive team have revealed that Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams would take over as CEO of Apple.
However, it has also been said that Apple is more so looking for the next CEO to be wanting to stay at Apple for much longer, and people familiar with the matters say that Williams is “now unlikely he’ll be the new long-term chief.”
Bloomberg’s report also says that Cook is looking to be CEO for “at least another three years” and that Ternus is the “most likely successor” of current CEO Tim Cook. Ternus is said to be “well-liked” within Apple too.
The report additionally states, “‘Tim likes him a lot, because he can give a good presentation, he’s very mild-mannered, never puts anything into an email that is controversial and is a very reticent decision-maker,’ says one person close to Apple’s executive team. ‘He has a lot of managerial characteristics like Tim.’ Christopher Stringer, a former top Apple hardware designer, called Ternus a ‘trustworthy hand’ who’s ‘never failed with any role he’s been elevated to.’ Eddy Cue, the Apple executive known as Cook’s closest confidant, has privately told colleagues that Ternus should be the next CEO, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.”
Other choices for the Apple CEO role such as Craig Federighi and Deirdre O’Brien are said to be “unlikely successors” and two additional options being Apple Fellow Phil Schiller and hardware chief Dan Riccio, but are both said to be “at the end of their tenures” with the company.
Just yesterday, Ternus made most of the announcements regarding the new iPad Air, iPad Pro, and Apple Pencil Pro during Apple’s May 2024 event, which gives people more of an opportunity for Apple fans and consumers to see him and become more familiar with him.
Ternus is 49 years old and started with Apple in 2001. Given his age and current status at Apple, it makes him a probably option to take over as Apple’s CEO one day.
What are your thoughts on the idea of John Ternus possibly becoming the CEO of Apple one day? Comment below or let us know on X at @appleosophy.
