Apple has announced that Tim Cook will step down as CEO by the end of this year, and that John Ternus will take over on September 1. Ternus has been with Apple for over 25 years and has played a key role in the development of nearly all of Apple’s product categories.
Education
Ternus studied Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also majored in Psychology. He was a standout member of the university’s swim team. In 2024, he returned to Penn to deliver the engineering commencement speech, where he shared personal stories, including the origin of his college nickname: “Crash.”
Career path
He began his career at a virtual reality headset startup. In 2001, he joined Apple, where his first project was the Cinema Display. Over the years, he quickly rose through the ranks: manager, iMac team lead, head of iPad hardware, and finally Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering in 2021.
He was involved in key milestones such as the transition of Macs to Apple Silicon, the development of the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard, and oversight of the Apple Watch. He was also linked to some controversial decisions, including the Touch Bar and the butterfly keyboard.
Leadership style
Colleagues describe him as approachable, collaborative, and someone who inspires loyalty. He prefers to work directly with technical teams rather than senior managers. Although generally affable, he has shown firmness in critical situations, such as a technical issue prior to the launch of the Vision Pro headset.
He is considered more decisive than Tim Cook, though also cautious when it comes to new product categories like self-driving cars or the original HomePod.
Personal life
Ternus keeps a very low profile. He is 50 years old, enjoys racing his Porsche at Laguna Seca, and is a fan of off-road rally racing. Little else is known about his private life.
Notable quote
In his commencement speech at Penn, Ternus advised: “Assume you are as smart as anyone else in the room, but never assume you know as much as them. That way, you’ll have the confidence to move forward and the humility to ask questions and learn.”
By: Nestor Castillo, ForAllTechNews Director
Image credit: Photographed by Tessa Bury / CC BY 4.0 / Attribution 4.0 International