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Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed his intense focus on succession planning, admitting he's "obsessed" with identifying future leaders. This comes amid recent senior executive retirements, which Cook described as "carefully orchestrated." While hardware chief John Ternus is reportedly a frontrunner, Cook also addressed AI's potential and Apple's upcoming 50th anniversary.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has opened up about succession planning at the company, telling employees he's "obsessed" with thinking about who will lead Apple in the years ahead."I spend a lot of time thinking about who's in the room five years from now, 10 years from now," Cook said during an all-hands meeting on Thursday, as reported by Bloomberg.
"I am obsessed with this—who's in the room 15 years from now.
"The comments come at a time when Apple has seen a wave of senior departures. The company's chief operating officer, environmental affairs head, and general counsel have all announced retirement plans within months of each other. Cook called these moves carefully orchestrated and "not surprises."
Apple's top ranks are shifting fast
Notably, Cook did not address the exits of AI chief John Giannandrea or design executive Alan Dye, who also recently stepped away from their roles.
"This is an important part of leadership, is thinking about these things and having plans in place," he told staff, per Bloomberg."When people get to a certain age, some are going to retire," he added. "This is kind of a natural thing."The 65-year-old CEO has led Apple since 2011, when he took over from co-founder Steve Jobs. Under his watch, the company's market cap has ballooned from around $350 billion to over $4 trillion. The Financial Times reported in November that Apple's board had intensified preparations for Cook to potentially hand over the reins as early as 2026, with hardware engineering chief John Ternus widely seen as the frontrunner.
John Ternus emerges as the leading candidate
Ternus, 50, joined Apple in 2001 and has overseen key projects including the iPhone Air and the company's shift from Intel chips to Apple Silicon. He's the same age Cook was when he stepped into the top job. A New York Times profile described him as a detail-oriented collaborator—much like Cook—but noted he remains relatively unknown outside Cupertino.
Cook also talked AI, immigration, and Apple's 50th birthday
Beyond succession, Cook used Thursday's meeting to rally employees around AI, calling it "one of the most profound opportunities of our entire lifetime." He also spoke emotionally about immigration, saying he was "deeply distraught" with the current US approach and vowed to keep lobbying lawmakers.And one more thing—Apple turns 50 this April. "I promise some celebration," Cook said.
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