Tim Cook has written to Apple employees for the last time as CEO, marking the end of a leadership era that began in 2011. The message, sent on his final day in the role, thanks the team and outlines his continued commitment to the company he has led for 15 years. John Ternus, the executive who has overseen Apple’s hardware development, will take over as CEO from today.

The end of a defining era

Cook took the helm after Steve Jobs stepped down shortly before his death. At the time, Apple was already a cultural and technological force, but Cook transformed it into something bigger: a company whose market value repeatedly reached record highs, whose products became essential tools for billions, and whose services business now generates more revenue than many entire Fortune 500 companies.

During his tenure, Apple launched the Apple Watch, AirPods, and HomePod, transitioned Macs from Intel to Apple Silicon, and built an ecosystem of services including iCloud, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Pay, and the App Store. The company also expanded its retail footprint, deepened its focus on privacy, and made ambitious commitments on environmental sustainability. Cook, who joined Apple in 1998 as senior vice president of worldwide operations, was widely credited with turning the company’s supply chain into a competitive advantage long before he took the top job.

When Cook took over, many wondered whether anyone could succeed Steve Jobs. Cook answered that question not by trying to imitate his predecessor, but by focusing on operational excellence and long-term strategic bets. The company’s market capitalization, which was around $350 billion when he became CEO, has since climbed past $3 trillion at various points, making Apple one of the most valuable publicly traded companies in history.

Cook’s full message to staff

The letter, as published in full, reads:

Team,

Today is my last day as CEO of Apple. This is a moment I always knew would come one day, and yet it is still hard to believe it has arrived and I am writing these words. I love this company and the team behind it, and I couldn’t let this day pass without sending a note to you, to tell you how grateful I am for the outpouring of affection you’ve sent my way, for the way you’ve shown up each and every day, and most of all, for the privilege of a lifetime serving as your leader.

The truth is, whatever there is to say about my success, I know it is all because of you. You have brought out the best in me. In all my life, I have never seen or been with such an extraordinary team of people before, and every day I get to see more examples of that.

There is something truly special about Apple. I am most proud of what an annual report could never capture. This place is proof that culture triumphs over everything. We share a belief that what we build matters, and that we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to leave the world better than we found it. That purpose is part of what makes this place extraordinary. Apple helps nurture it, but I believe it lived within each of you long before you arrived here. It is what brought you to this company and what continues to drive the work you do every day. Together, we have created something far greater than any one of us could have imagined or accomplished alone. And that’s the secret to our success. We bring out the best in each other. We lift each other up. We have made it possible to leave our “dent in the universe,” as Steve once described it, because of who we are and what we believe, because of what we value and how we see the world. How fortunate we are. How fortunate I am.

As you know, I am not leaving Apple. But I am stepping away from a role that I have loved deeply. I will miss this work in ways I can only begin to imagine, even as I remain completely at peace with my decision. I will miss leading you and being with you for every step, even as I take enormous comfort in handing the helm to someone as brilliant and wonderful and capable as John. Few people understand what it takes to build products that change the world the way John does and I could not be more excited for his leadership.

I hope you know how much I appreciate you and what an honor it has been to be your CEO. Most of all, I hope you will continue to be proud to be part of this remarkable place we call Apple and always give it your very best. When we bring our whole selves to this work, with care for one another and for the people we serve, there is no limit to the profound difference we can make.

I look forward to seeing you in my new role at Apple Park and around the world.

With all I have and all I am, I am always

Yours,

Tim

What comes next with John Ternus

Ternus is not a newcomer to the spotlight. He has led Apple’s hardware engineering since 2013 and has been a key voice in the development of the M1 chip line, the modern MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and more recently the Vision Pro headset. His promotion to CEO was widely expected internally, and Cook’s letter makes clear that he sees Ternus as a natural successor who can carry Apple’s product vision forward.

The transition comes at a moment when Apple is facing new challenges. Regulatory pressure on the App Store has intensified in Europe and the United States. The company has also been navigating a shifting landscape in artificial intelligence, where competitors are pushing aggressively into new categories. At the same time, Apple continues to generate record revenue from its installed base of more than two billion active devices. The services division, which Cook helped turn into a recurring revenue engine, remains a major growth driver.

Ternus will inherit an executive team with deep experience, but also a set of questions that will define Apple’s next decade. How quickly will the company move in generative AI? Will the Vision Pro line evolve into a mainstream product? Can services continue to grow at the same pace? Cook’s letter suggests he believes Ternus has the judgment and product instincts to navigate these decisions.

Cook has said he will stay at Apple in a new capacity, based at Apple Park. The exact responsibilities of that role have not been fully detailed, but his continued presence should provide stability during the handover. For employees, and for the broader Apple community, the message is one of continuity rather than rupture. Cook’s final letter is both a farewell and a passing of the torch, and it closes with the same combination of humility and confidence that has defined his public career.

Source: The Verge News