Apple has officially announced that John Ternus, a long-time veteran of the tech giant, will succeed Tim Cook as Chief Executive Officer this September. The move, announced on April 20, 2026, marks a historic transition for the $4 trillion company, shifting leadership to a new generation while leaning heavily on the timeless wisdom of the past.
As Cook prepares to step down after a 15-year tenure to become the Executive Chairman of the Board, he has revealed the specific advice he is handing down to Ternus, advice that was originally given to him by the late co-founder Steve Jobs.
The Wisdom of ‘doing the right thing’
In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal conducted just weeks before the April announcement, Cook reflected on the weight of leadership. He shared that his primary message to Ternus is the same one Jobs shared with him in 2011: “Never ask what I would do, just do the right thing.”
Cook elaborated on why this mindset is so critical for the person sitting in the corner office at Apple Park.
“I would probably say the same thing to John,” Cook told the Wall Street Journal. “Because you can get into paralysis if you start trying to port yourself into somebody else’s thinking.”
Cook also explained the importance of maintaining a ‘North Star’ for the company’s values. Speaking to CBS News Sunday Morning in March 2026, he explained that while a leader might be ‘blown off course a little bit,’ staying anchored to the company’s core principles will eventually bring them back to the right path. “I have always found that to be true,” he added.
Avoiding the ‘Disney Trap’: Don’t suffer from a form of corporate paralysis
The origin of this advice stems from a cautionary tale Steve Jobs observed during his time in the entertainment industry. Jobs, who founded Pixar and worked closely with Disney, noticed a trend after Walt Disney’s passing that he found deeply concerning.
Cook explained to CBS News Sunday Morning last month that Jobs watched Disney employees suffer from a form of corporate ‘paralysis.’ Executives would sit around and talk about ‘what Walt would do,’ rather than making the best decisions for the current moment. Jobs was determined that Apple would never fall into that trap.
“He took off my shoulder this question of, ‘What would Steve do?’” Cook told CBS. “I just put my head down and thought, ‘I’m going to be the best version of myself.’”
Who is John Ternus?
The man taking the reins on September 1, 2026, is no stranger to the inner workings of Apple. John Ternus, 51, has spent nearly his entire professional life at the company, joining the product design team in 2001, the same year the first iPod was released.
Ternus is a mechanical engineer by trade and has spent the last 25 years working his way up. Before being named the successor, he served as the Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. In that role, he oversaw the development of some of Apple’s most iconic modern products, including the global expansion of the AirPods and Apple Watch.
His technical influence also spanned every generation of the iPad and the most recent iterations of the iPhone, while he played a critical part in the historic transition of the Mac lineup to Apple’s custom Silicon processors.
In the official press release on April 20, Cook praised Ternus as a leader who combines technical brilliance with personal character. “[Ternus] has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and honour,” Cook said in his memo to employees.
A legacy of growth
When Tim Cook took over for Steve Jobs in August 2011, many skeptics doubted whether Apple could thrive without its visionary founder. Cook responded by leading Apple to unprecedented financial heights, growing it into a $4 trillion powerhouse. Under his watch, annual revenue climbed from $108 billion to over $416 billion.
Now, as Ternus prepares for his first day as CEO this fall, he appears ready to embrace the role with a mix of optimism and reverence. In a statement released following the announcement, Ternus expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to carry the mission forward. He noted that he was “humbled” to step into the role after working under both Jobs and Cook as mentors.
“I am filled with optimism about what the company can accomplish,” Ternus said. “I promise to lead with the values and vision that have come to define this special place for half a century.”
What’s next for Apple?
As the transition begins, the tech world will be watching closely to see how Ternus puts his own stamp on the company. While the ‘North Star’ values of design, privacy, and innovation remain, Ternus will be expected to navigate a landscape defined by AI and spatial computing.
With Cook remaining on as Executive Chairman to support the transition through the summer, the handover is expected to be smooth. If the past 15 years have proven anything, it’s that Apple’s strength lies in its ability to evolve while staying true to that one simple, powerful rule: ‘Don’t ask what the predecessor would do, just do the right thing.’