Apple Expands John Ternus' Role to Oversee Design in Latest Sign of CEO Succession [Report]

Apple has quietly expanded the responsibilities of hardware engineering chief John Ternus, handing him oversight of the company's design teams. The move places one of the most critical functions at Apple under his watch and further solidifies his standing as the likely successor to Tim Cook.



According to Bloomberg, Cook tapped Ternus for the role late last year. He is now billed internally as the "executive sponsor" of design, acting as the bridge between the design staff and the executive team. While the heads of hardware and software design technically still report to Cook on paper, Ternus now manages the group's leaders and represents the organization in high-level meetings.


Oversight of design has historically been reserved for Apple's most senior leaders. Jony Ive held the reins until 2019, followed by Cook temporarily, and then longtime Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams. With Williams having retired at the end of 2025, the vacancy provided an opportunity to broaden Ternus's portfolio.

This development aligns with reports from earlier this month indicating that Apple has accelerated succession planning, with Ternus moving ahead of other candidates. At 50, he is the youngest member of the executive team, offering a potentially long tenure. He has become an increasingly public face for the company, recently introducing the iPhone Air and leading major media interviews.

The design organization itself has seen significant turnover recently. Apple lost its vice president of Human Interface Design, Alan Dye, who left for Meta in December to lead a new creative studio. Handing oversight to Ternus, whose background is in hardware engineering, acknowledges that Cook generally keeps his distance from day-to-day design decisions, preferring to let a dedicated leader manage the collaboration between hardware and software aesthetics.

The leadership changes come during a period of executive instability in Cupertino. In addition to Williams' retirement and Dye's exit, chip chief Johny Srouji was reportedly considering a departure before issuing a memo committing to stay at the company. Despite the maneuvering, Cook is not expected to step down immediately. The 65-year-old CEO is likely to remain in charge for some time, eventually transitioning to a chairman role when he does retire.


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