Apple’s leadership structure officially changed today, September 1, 2026, as John Ternus stepped into the CEO role—succeeding Tim Cook, who now serves as Executive Chair and joins the board of directors. The company has updated its leadership page to reflect this shift in executive responsibilities.
A Leadership Overhaul
The refreshed Apple leadership page now identifies John Ternus as CEO. Tim Cook, meanwhile, has moved into a board member profile under the title Executive Chair. The leadership directory has also expanded its board section: where previously only names were listed, the board now features headshots for each member. Ternus, in his new dual role, also appears among directors in the updated design.
The board roster now includes Tim Cook, Arthur Levinson, Wanda Austin, Alex Gorsky, Andrea Jung, Monica Lozano, Ron Sugar, Sue Wagner, and John Ternus. These changes are visually reinforced by portrait photos, including a new headshot for Cook in his Executive Chair capacity.
Strategy Under New Direction
Ternus is expected to bring a more product-centric focus to Apple, contrasting with Cook’s well-known operational strength. Although organizational shifts of this magnitude often take time to manifest fully in product and market strategy, the upcoming fall event offers the first test: Ternus will lead the unveiling of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra lineup on September 9.
This leadership transition marks more than a mere title change—it may signal where Apple gears up its innovation priorities. Bringing in Ternus, a longtime executive known for technical and product work, suggests a tilt toward engineering-first decision-making at a time when every incremental feature and design push matters.
Ternus’ promotion culminates a planned succession—a changing of the guard that had been anticipated. Cook’s ongoing presence on the board gives continuity, even as day-to-day leadership shifts toward Ternus. Observers will closely watch how this plays out across hardware, services, and ecosystem initiatives going forward.
What to Watch For: how Ternus’ product vision reshapes upcoming Apple releases; whether support, software, manufacturing, and shifts in operations align with this strategy; and how the market reacts post- September’s fall event under new leadership.
