Tim Cook’s tenure as Apple CEO came to a close on Monday, marking the end of an era that saw the company become the first to reach a $3 trillion market capitalization and redefine the technology landscape across hardware, software, and services. In a farewell memo sent to Apple employees on his final day in the role, Cook expressed gratitude, reflected on the company’s culture, and said he was taking “enormous comfort” in handing the leadership to John Ternus.
Cook, who joined Apple in 1998 and became CEO in August 2011, has been a defining figure in modern Silicon Valley. He took the helm shortly before the death of Steve Jobs, who handpicked him as his successor after Cook served as chief operating officer and led Apple’s global supply chain. During his 15 years as CEO, Cook oversaw the launch of Apple Watch, AirPods, the transition from Intel processors to Apple silicon, the expansion of Apple’s services business, and the creation of one of the largest shareholder-return programs in corporate history.
Key facts at a glance
- Tim Cook’s last day as Apple CEO is Monday, August 31, 2026.
- John Ternus becomes Apple’s CEO on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
- Cook sent a farewell memo to employees and a social media message to the Apple community.
- Cook will remain at Apple in a new role, with duties based at Apple Park.
His farewell memo, sent to employees and later shared with the public, offers a personal look at his feelings about leaving the day-to-day leadership of a company he has described as the work of his life. Below is the full text of the memo, followed by the social media post Cook shared with the Apple community.
A heartfelt farewell to the Apple team
The memo opens with Cook acknowledging that he always knew this day would come. He wrote:
Team,
Today is my last day as CEO of Apple. This is a moment I always knew would come one day, and yet it is still hard to believe it has arrived and I am writing these words. I love this company and the team behind it, and I couldn’t let this day pass without sending a note to you, to tell you how grateful I am for the outpouring of affection you’ve sent my way, for the way you’ve shown up each and every day, and most of all, for the privilege of a lifetime serving as your leader.
Cook then credited employees for his success, writing:
The truth is, whatever there is to say about my success, I know it is all because of you. You have brought out the best in me. In all my life, 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.
There is something truly special about Apple. I am most proud of what an annual report could never capture. This place is proof that culture triumphs over everything. We share a belief that what we build matters, and that we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to leave the world better than we found it. That purpose is part of what makes this place extraordinary. Apple helps nurture it, but I believe it lived within each of you long before you arrived here. It is what brought you to this company and what continues to drive the work you do every day. Together, we have created something far greater than any one of us could have imagined or accomplished alone. And that’s the secret to our success. We bring out the best in each other. We lift each other up. We have made it possible to leave our “dent in the universe,” as Steve once described it, because of who we are and what we believe, because of what we value and how we see the world. How fortunate we are. How fortunate I am.
As you know, I am not leaving Apple. But I am stepping away from a role that I have loved deeply. I will miss this work in ways I can only begin to imagine, even as I remain completely at peace with my decision. I will miss leading you and being with you for every step, even as I take enormous comfort in handing the helm to someone as brilliant and wonderful and capable as John. Few people understand what it takes to build products that change the world the way John does and I could not be more excited for his leadership.
I hope you know how much I appreciate you and what an honor it has been to be your CEO. Most of all, I hope you will continue to be proud to be part of this remarkable place we call Apple and always give it your very best. When we bring our whole selves to this work, with care for one another and for the people we serve, there is no limit to the profound difference we can make.
I look forward to seeing you in my new role at Apple Park and around the world.
With all I have and all I am, I am always
Yours,
Tim
In addition to the memo, Cook shared a brief message on social media, writing:
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!
Who is John Ternus?
John Ternus is a veteran Apple executive who has been with the company for over two decades. He joined Apple’s hardware engineering team in 2001 and played key roles in the development of numerous products, including the iMac, MacBook, iPhone, and iPad. In 2020, Ternus was named senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, reporting directly to Cook. He is widely credited with overseeing the successful transition of the Mac lineup from Intel processors to Apple’s custom M-series chips, a move that dramatically improved performance and battery life across the company’s computers.
Ternus has kept a relatively low public profile compared to some of his peers, but he is highly regarded inside Apple. He has been a frequent presence at product launch events, introducing new Macs and iPads with a calm, detail-oriented style. His promotion to CEO signals continuity for Apple’s product strategy, as he is known for deep collaboration across hardware, software, and services teams.
Cook’s legacy at Apple
When Cook took over as CEO, many questioned whether anyone could follow Steve Jobs. Jobs was a visionary founder who had saved Apple from near bankruptcy and transformed it into a cultural force with the iPod, iPhone, and App Store. Cook, by contrast, was an operations and supply-chain expert who had been hired to fix Apple’s manufacturing and logistics. But Cook proved that his skills were exactly what Apple needed to scale its success.
Under Cook, Apple’s revenue grew from about $108 billion in fiscal 2011 to more than $400 billion in recent years. The company launched the Apple Watch, which became the best-selling smartwatch in the world and a major health and fitness platform. AirPods created an entirely new category of wireless audio and became a cultural phenomenon. Apple’s services business, which includes the App Store, Apple Music, iCloud, Apple TV+, and Apple Pay, grew into a massive recurring revenue stream.
Cook also guided Apple through difficult moments, including the fight with the FBI over encryption in 2016, supply-chain disruptions during the pandemic, and intense antitrust scrutiny in the United States and Europe. He championed privacy as a human right, pushed Apple toward carbon neutrality by 2030, and advocated for diversity and inclusion within the company and the industry.
Perhaps his most consequential decision was the transition to Apple silicon. When Apple introduced the M1 chip in 2020, it marked the beginning of a new era for the Mac. The move severed Apple’s dependence on Intel and allowed the company to design custom chips that deliver industry-leading performance and efficiency. Ternus played a central role in executing that transition, which is one reason Cook has so much confidence in him.
What comes next for Apple
Cook has said he is not leaving Apple. He will continue to work at Apple Park in a new role, though the company has not disclosed exactly what his title will be. Reports have suggested he may focus on board leadership, strategic projects, or corporate governance, while Ternus takes over the day-to-day responsibilities of the CEO.
The leadership change comes at a pivotal time for Apple. The company is preparing to release new versions of the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch, and it is reportedly working on significant advancements in artificial intelligence. Apple’s recent focus on generative AI, including its “Apple Intelligence” platform, is expected to shape the next generation of its products. Ternus will be responsible for overseeing these efforts while maintaining the company’s focus on privacy, quality, and user experience.
Analysts expect continuity rather than radical change. Ternus is an internal candidate who has worked closely with Cook for years, and Apple’s executive team remains largely intact. The company’s ecosystem, supply chain, and product roadmap are all well established, providing a strong foundation for the new CEO.
An emotional milestone for Apple
Cook’s final day as CEO is a significant milestone not only for Apple but for the technology industry as a whole. He is one of the longest-serving leaders of a major tech company, and his tenure has been marked by steady growth, relentless execution, and a commitment to values-based leadership. His farewell memo captures the emotions of a leader who clearly loves the company and the people he has worked with for nearly three decades.
In his memo, Cook emphasized that Apple’s culture is the secret to its success. He wrote that Apple is proof that culture triumphs over everything, and that the company’s purpose is to leave the world better than it was found. It is a message that employees will likely carry with them as they begin work under Ternus’s leadership.
As the sun sets on Cook’s time as CEO, Apple employees and the broader Apple community are now looking ahead. Ternus takes the helm at a company that has never been more powerful, but also one that faces mounting competitive and regulatory pressure. Whether he can sustain Apple’s momentum will be one of the defining questions in the tech industry in the years to come. For now, Cook has made clear that he believes Apple is in good hands.
Source:9to5Mac News