Who is John Ternes? After Tim Cook, he can become the next CEO of Apple, these names also included in the list

for more than a decade apple After taking over the command, discussions have intensified regarding Tim Cook’s successor. According to reports, Cook, who is going to turn 65 in November 2025, is feeling the burden of his responsibilities and may consider limiting the scope of work in the future. With this, serious brainstorming has begun within Apple on the strategy of leadership change.

Inside sources say that Tim Cook wants to carry out his departure not suddenly but in a very planned manner. For this reason, a shortlist of possible successors is being prepared, so that the transfer of leadership at Apple can be completed without any setbacks.

Why is John Turnus’s name at the forefront?

According to the New York Times report, the name most discussed as the next CEO of Apple is John Ternes. 50-year-old Ternes is currently the Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering at Apple and leads the engineering team of major products like iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods. Ternes has been associated with Apple since 2001 and has played a decisive role in the company’s most important hardware decisions. They are considered central to major technological changes such as the Mac shifting from Intel chips to Apple Silicon.

Hardware expertise becomes the biggest strength

John Ternes is known for his keen eye for detail, strong understanding of Apple’s supply chain, and collaborative leadership style. Some insiders describe him as an attractive and popular leader, although some have questions about his risk-taking ability. Despite this, their deep expertise in product design and engineering gives them an edge over other contenders.

Who are the other contenders in the list?

1. Craig Federighi- Head of Software

2. AD Q- Services Head

3. Greg Jozwiak- Head of Marketing

John Ternes’ journey

John Ternes earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997. During his studies, he was also a university-level swimmer and won events like 50 meter freestyle and 200 meter individual medley. He started his career in the same year with Virtual Research Inc. As a mechanical engineer.

Four years later, in July 2001, he joined Apple’s product design team, at a time when the company was entering a new era of hardware innovation. In 2013, he was made Vice President of Hardware Engineering, replacing Dan Riccio. From then till today, he has played an important role in the development of products like iPhone, iPad, Mac and AirPods.