Who Is John Ternus, the Apple Exec Who Could One Day Be CEO?

Tim Cook has been running Apple for more than 14 years, but he won’t be CEO forever.

With leadership transitions this year, including Cook’s longtime number two, Jeff Williams, announcing his retirement before 2026, John Ternus has emerged as a likely frontrunner for the top job, according to reports in the last year and a half.

The 65-year-old could leave the role as early as next year after Apple’s January earnings report, the Financial Times recently reported, and that the iPhone maker has intensified succession planning. Bloomberg previously identified Ternus as “the most likely heir apparent.”

Cook has previously said that his ideal candidate for the role would come from within the company and that he’s preparing “several” people to potentially take over.

Meanwhile, Apple fans and Wall Street have become more familiar with Ternus as he makes public appearances tied to iPhone and other product events.

Here’s what to know about the executive who could one day replace Cook at the helm.

He studied engineering

Ternus graduated with a degree in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997, according to his LinkedIn profile. He majored in mechanical engineering.

He then worked for four years as an engineer before joining Apple’s product design team in 2001, per its website.

Ternus became vice president of hardware engineering in 2013, taking over from Dan Riccio. He’s worked on various Apple products, including every generation and model of iPad, as well as AirPods.

With his hardware chops, Ternus as CEO would mark the return of a chief executive at Apple with a product design background.

Ternus has ample public speaking experience

The job of Apple CEO is one of the most high-profile executive positions in the world, requiring regular media and keynote appearances.

Ternus hasn’t shied away from the spotlight, as he also has experience presenting new products and revealing new versions of the iMac and MacBook at past Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) events.

At Apple’s “Let Loose” event in May 2024, Ternus unveiled new, thinner iPad Pro and iPad Air models. His 2025 has been marked with a number of media appearances, including interviews about Apple’s plans for Apple Intelligence and new hardware.

Following the launch of the new iPhone Air, Ternus and senior vice president of worldwide marketing Greg “Joz” Joswiak did an interview showcasing the durability of Apple’s thinnest phone.

The video garnered nearly 350,000 views, and many of the comments discussed if either of the execs would be Cook’s successor. Joswiak, however, is only three years younger than Cook.

Cook wants someone ‘from within Apple’

Although Apple is unsurprisingly tight-lipped about who will take over from Cook, the CEO said in 2023 that there are “very detailed succession plans” in place for when he steps down. He didn’t give much away on who is included in that plan.

“My job is to prepare several people to for the ability to succeed, and I really want the person to come from within Apple,” Cook said in a 2023 interview with singer Dua Lipa.

Cook added that he aims to give the Apple board multiple candidates to choose from once his time is up. However, he said, it doesn’t mean his time is coming soon.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

“I love it there, and I can’t envision my life without being there,” Cook told Lipa two years ago. “So, I’ll be there for a while.”