Apple CEO Stepping Down? Tim Cook Is Now 65, Sparking Succession Talk

Tim Cook turned 65 on November 1 and discussions are growing around the question of who his successor as Apple CEO could be. Cook has not announced his retirement, but according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the tech giant is working behind the scenes to ensure a smooth transition when the time comes.

Cook replaced Steve Jobs in 2011, and after a period of uncertainty, Cook propelled Apple into its most profitable era. Stock monitoring website Stocktwits reports that the company’s shares are up about 1,800% since Cook took over as CEO.

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Jobs may have introduced devices like the iPhone in everyday use that has changed the way we interact with technology, but Cook developed the Apple experience. Under his leadership, the company built on Apple’s smartphone by introducing subscription services and more mobile products, including headphones And portable devices.

He introduced Apple Pay, Beats headphones has become an integral part of the company’s ecosystem, the Apple Watch launched 10 years ago, and Apple has even entered the entertainment business, producing Academy Award-winning original movies and Emmy Award-winning TV shows through Apple TV Plus.

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We must reiterate that the idea of ​​Cook resigning is pure speculation at this point. We don’t know what the Apple CEO is currently planning or what his thoughts are on retirement. That said, a handful of candidates are said to have participated in the succession discussions.

Potential candidates for Apple CEO

Apple likely has a “strong bench of successors” that the company’s board has been developing, says Bryan Ma, vice president of devices research at IDC.

“But the anxiety is amplified when there is no clear visibility for such a valuable and iconic company,” says Ma. “The challenge is further compounded by the fact that the bar has been set by major rock stars like Steve Jobs and Tim Cook. The next generation of leaders has very big shoes to fill.”

John Ternus, Apple’s current vice president of hardware engineering, was at the top of Gurman’s list. Ternus has been with the tech giant for over two decades. He therefore has the knowledge and experience necessary to become a general manager. It would be helpful to have an engineer behind the wheel.

Ternus appeared at Apple’s September event to demonstrate the iPhoneAir. At 50, he is the same age Cook was when he took over as CEO of Apple.

Other potential competitors are also being considered, including Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering; Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing; and Jeff Williams, the company’s former chief operating officer, according to a report from Apple Insider. On October 10, Bloomberg reported that Federighi would also soon oversee the Apple Watch’s watchOS operating system, while Ternus would oversee the Apple Watch’s hardware engineering following Williams’ departure at the end of the year.

Federighi has been with Apple for a long time and has experience in public speaking – frequently speaking at Apple Events – it would be vital if he replaced Cook as CEO. Given his current role, Joswiak has a more marketing perspective and broader view of the business and may not be as familiar with technology as Ternus and Federighi. And according to Gurman, Williams was considered an ideal candidate to replace Cook until his role as COO was announced. (He is now Apple’s senior vice president of design, watch and health.) Cook served as COO before replacing Jobs as CEO in 2011. Sabih Khan will take on that COO role, which also puts his name in the running.

When Cook steps down, Apple will undoubtedly have a pool of qualified talent to choose from to take on the leadership role. It remains to be seen who exactly will take over.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.