Tim Cook, Apple's outgoing chief executive, has explained his decision to step down from leading the $4 billion company. In a company meeting first reported by Bloomberg, Cook told staff that he is “healthy” and will continue to play an active role in Apple’s operations, focusing on global relationships.
Cook said he decided to stand down at a time when the “business had to be doing great,” the “product road map to be incredible,” and that his replacement, John Ternus, was “ready for the role.” “Now was the time,” he stated. Cook, aged 65, confirmed his energy is high and expects to serve in the executive chairman role “for a long time.”
Cook will be replaced by John Ternus, a 51-year-old who has worked at Apple for almost all of his career and currently leads its hardware engineering efforts. In his own remarks, Ternus pointed to Apple’s upcoming products, saying he is “especially excited to be stepping into this role at this moment, because I am telling you we are about to change the world once again.”
As executive chairman, Cook is expected to focus on political relationships, having become close to Donald Trump over his second term as president. He suggested his work would focus on global relations, stating, “This is an area where we’ve built relationships over multiple years and a decade-plus, and I think I can help with that.”
