Incoming Apple CEO John Ternus Rehires Former Hardware VP Laura Legros

Incoming Apple CEO John Ternus is bringing a trusted former hardware executive out of retirement to join his new management team. Laura Legros, who retired in 2022 as a vice president of hardware engineering, will report directly to Ternus when he officially takes the helm on September 1.



The move marks a rare instance of Apple rehiring a retired executive. In her new role, Legros will serve as a vice president working cross-functionally with different parts of the company, according to Bloomberg. During her previous tenure, she was one of Ternus's closest deputies, managing product delivery and coordinating schedules across engineering teams. She also appeared in Apple keynote presentations, introducing the MacBook Air in 2018 and the redesigned iPad Air in 2020.


Ternus has spent the past several months shadowing current CEO Tim Cook, who will soon transition to the role of executive chairman. The incoming chief has been helping lead executive meetings and participating in roadmap reviews across multiple product divisions. The appointment of Legros is another sign he is beginning to put his own stamp on Apple's leadership team ahead of the transition. He has also been spending considerable time with Apple's industrial design group, laying the groundwork for a broader shake-up of the company's design organization.

Additional leadership changes are expected over the next few years as several veteran Apple executives approach retirement. Kate Adams, who transitioned to overseeing government affairs after serving as general counsel, plans to retire at the end of this year. Other long-serving leaders, including Phil Schiller and Luca Maestri, are also approaching the end of their Apple careers.