The list of potential contenders to succeed Tim Cook as the next CEO of Apple includes at least four top executives at the tech giant – though the exact timing of his exit remains unclear.
John Ternus, the 50-year-old head of Apple’s hardware division, is considered the frontrunner, according to The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. He is responsible for overseeing the flagship iPhone – which still rakes in the bulk of Apple’s revenue – as well as other devices like Mac computers and AirPods.
Another top contender is longtime Apple software chief Craig Federighi, who takes center stage each year at the tech giant’s high-profile Worldwide Developers Conference. Federighi, 56, recently become more involved in Apple’s efforts to integrate artificial intelligence after some embarrassing early missteps led to an internal leadership shakeup.
Eddy Cue, the 61-year-old head of Apple’s services division, is also on the list. Cue has worked closely with Cook throughout his tenure and was also notably close with the late Steve Jobs, the Apple co-founder who preceded Cook as CEO.
The fourth top contender, according to The Journal, is Greg Joswiak, the 61-year-old head of Apple’s marketing division. Known as “Joz,” he is heavily involved in Apple’s annual iPhone promotions and also stepped in to handle some of the PR fallout when the AI launch fell flat with investors and users alike.
Apple did not immediately return The Post’s request for comment.
There is no set timeframe in which Cook must step down as CEO. While he is 65 years old, Apple doesn’t require its top executive to step down at a particular age – unlike some companies.
Last month, the Financial Times reported that Apple’s board was “stepping up” its succession planning. The report, which cited unnamed people familiar with internal discussions, suggest that Cook could step down as soon as next year.
Bloomberg tech correspondent Mark Gurman, a regular source of Apple scoops, threw cold water on the notion that Cook’s exit could be imminent, noting in his newsletter this week that there were “few signs internally” that the exec was ready to depart in the near future.
Cook, who has overseen Apple’s surge from a market valuation of about $350 billion in 2011 to $4 trillion today, is widely expected to take over as chairman once he exits the CEO gig.
He confirmed that Apple had “very detailed succession plans” during a November 2023 podcast appearance alongside singer Dua Lipa.
At the same time, Cook said he loved his work and expected to be at Apple’s helm for “a while.”
“I really want the person to come from within Apple, the next CEO,” the exec said. “So that’s my role: That there’s several for the board to pick from.”
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