Tim Cook‘s sixty fifth birthday is subsequent week, on Nov. 1. And with the Apple CEO’s special occasion virtually right here, talks have been rising as to who could possibly be his successor ought to he select to retire. Cook has made no official public point out of stepping down but, however based on Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the tech big is working behind the scenes to make sure a seamless transition when the time comes.
Cook changed Steve Jobs in 2011, and after a interval of uncertainty, Cook ushered Apple into its most worthwhile period. Stock-watching web site Stocktwits studies that the corporate’s inventory has elevated by round 1,800% since Cook took over main the corporate.
Jobs might have launched units just like the iPhone into on a regular basis use that modified how we work together with know-how, however Cook expanded on the Apple expertise. Under his steering, the corporate constructed upon Apple’s smartphone by introducing subscription companies and extra cellular merchandise, together with earbuds and wearables.
He launched Apple Pay, Beats headphones turned a part of the corporate’s ecosystem, the Apple Watch launched 10 years in the past, and Apple even entered the leisure enterprise, producing authentic Oscar-winning films and Emmy-winning TV reveals by means of Apple TV Plus.
We ought to reiterate that the notion of Cook stepping down is pure hypothesis at this level. We do not know what Apple’s CEO is at the moment planning or what his ideas about retirement could also be. That mentioned, there are a handful of contenders who’ve reportedly been a part of the succession dialog.
Potential Apple CEO contenders
Apple probably has “a strong bench of successors” that the corporate’s board has been growing, says Bryan Ma, VP of Devices Research at IDC.
“But the nervousness will get amplified when there is not clear visibility for such a helpful and iconic firm,” Ma says. “Compounding the problem is the truth that the bar has been set by large rock stars like Steve Jobs and Tim Cook. The subsequent technology of leaders have very large footwear to fill.”
John Ternus, Apple’s present vice chairman of Hardware Engineering, was prime of Gurman’s record. Ternus has been with the tech big for greater than twenty years, so he has the data and expertise for a chief govt improve. There can be worth in having an engineer behind the wheel.
Ternus appeared throughout the September Apple occasion to introduce the iPhone Air. At 50, he is the identical age Cook was when he took over as Apple CEO.
Other potential contenders are additionally being thought of, together with Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice chairman of software program engineering; Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice chairman of worldwide advertising; and Jeff Williams, the corporate’s former chief working officer, based on a report by Apple Insider. On Oct. 10, Bloomberg reported that Federighi additionally will quickly be overseeing the Apple Watch working system watchOS, whereas Ternus will probably be overseeing Apple Watch {hardware} engineering as soon as Williams departs on the finish of the 12 months.
Federighi has been with Apple for a very long time and has the general public talking expertise — often talking throughout Apple Events — that will be important if he changed Cook as CEO. Considering his present position, Joswiak has a extra advertising perspective and a broader overview of the corporate and is probably not as hands-on with the tech as Ternus and Federighi. And based on Gurman, Williams was seen as a shoo-in to be Cook’s alternative till his position as COO was introduced to be ending. (He’s now Apple’s senior vice chairman of design, watch and well being.) Cook held the place of chief working officer earlier than he changed Jobs as CEO in 2011. Sabih Khan will probably be moving into that COO position, which additionally places his title within the working.
When Cook steps down, Apple will undoubtedly have a pool of certified expertise to select from to take up the management mantle. Who precisely will take the mantle stays to be seen.
Apple did not instantly reply to a request for remark.
