Meet John Ternos, the 50-year-old former swimming champion who is rumored to succeed Tim Cook as Apple CEO

Speculation increased after Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer, who was once considered Cook’s natural successor, announced that… He stepped down from his operational responsibilities in July He will leave the company by the end of the year. With Williams out of contention, Gorman says Ternos has emerged as the “most likely heir apparent.”

Ternus brings a combination of technical expertise and institutional knowledge to the succession conversation. According to his LinkedIn profilea mechanical engineer, joined Apple’s product design team in 2001 and has overseen hardware engineering for nearly every major product in the company’s current portfolio. Its fingerprints are on every generation of iPad, the latest iPhone lineup, and AirPods. He played a crucial role in the Mac’s transition to Apple Silicon. He also had a prominent role during Apple’s latest keynotes, Introducing products Like the new iPhone Air.

The timing of Ternus’ increased visibility is no coincidence. Apple’s public relations teams have begun “singing the spotlight on Ternus,” according to Gorman, suggesting the company may be preparing for a gradual transition of power. Beyond product launches, Ternus has taken on responsibilities that extend beyond traditional hardware engineering, influencing product roadmaps, features, and strategic decisions typically reserved for senior executives.

Ternos, 50, mirrors Cook’s age when he became CEO in 2011, making him eligible for a decade or more at the helm. This longevity factor appeals to Apple’s board, which favors stability in leadership transitions. His engineering background also aligns with the direction Apple is headed as a company, exploring emerging technologies e.g Artificial intelligence and mixed reality.

Turnos to Cupertino route

Ternos’ journey to the top of Apple began at the University of Pennsylvania, where he excelled academically and athletically. He graduated in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. But Ternos didn’t just focus on his studies, he was a competitive swimmer who made his mark in the pool.

1994 report in Pennsylvania Daily Ternos’ athletic prowess was revealed when he won the 50-meter freestyle and 200-meter individual medley at a university swimming competition. More strikingly, Ternus is the ‘all-time letter winner’ for the UPenn men’s swim team, representing the university’s swim team a record number of times.

After graduation, he joined Ternos Virtual search systems As a mechanical engineer. VR systems, while not widely known today, were part of the early VR wave in the 1980s and 1990s, working on virtual reality headsets and immersive technologies. During this four-year period, Ternus was introduced to cutting-edge display technology and human-computer interfaces, an experience that proved invaluable during his subsequent work on products like the Apple Vision Pro.

Ternus joined Apple’s product design team in 2001, at a pivotal moment in the company’s history. Steve Jobs was back, the iMac had revitalized the company, and Apple was poised to launch products that would redefine entire industries. Ternus started as a relatively junior member of the product design team, initially working on external Mac displays.

By 2013, Ternus was promoted to vice president of hardware engineering, where he oversaw development of the AirPods, Mac, and iPad. His portfolio expanded in 2020 when he took over iPhone hardware engineering, which was previously reported directly to Dan Riccio. When Riccio stepped down in January 2021 To focus on the Apple Vision Pro project, Ternus was promoted to senior vice president of hardware engineering, making him a member of Apple’s executive team.

Apple’s PR teams have begun highlighting Ternus, According to GormanWhich indicates that the company may be preparing for a gradual transfer of power. This shift is evident in Ternus’ increased visibility at product launches and industry events. He has become a regular presenter at major Apple events, revealing iMac and MacBook Pro updates, introducing the 2018 iPad Pros, unveiling the iMac Pro, and introducing the completely redesigned 2019 Mac Pro. More importantly, Ternus was also responsible for Revealing Apple Silicon to the worldbesides New iPhone Air.

The question of succession has gained urgency as Apple faces broader executive turnover. John GiannandreaThe senior vice president who oversees Apple’s AI strategy is said to have an uncertain future after setbacks in Siri development, according to Gorman, who added that hardware technology chief Johnny Srouji is “evaluating his future,” and environmental policy leader Lisa Jackson is considering retirement.

For a company that has prided itself on organizational stability throughout Cook’s tenure, the simultaneous departure of several top executives represents a major shift. Cook himself has given mixed signals about his retirement plans. For CNBC Last January, he said he couldn’t imagine “doing nothing” and that he would “always want to work.” However, Bloomberg notes that Cook may eventually move into a chairman role, similar to the moves made by Jeff Bezos as chairman. Amazon And Bill Gates in Microsoft.

Choosing Ternus would represent Apple’s preference to promote from within rather than seek external leadership. It also signals a shift towards prioritizing technical innovation over pure operational excellence, as the company seeks to revitalize product categories beyond the iPhone, which generates the majority of its revenue. The company’s struggles with the Apple Vision Pro and its efforts to compete in the AI ​​space suggest that tech leadership may be exactly what Apple needs for its next chapter.