Tim Cook Bids Farewell to Apple in Final Staff Memo as Leadership Transition Begins

Tim Cook officially concluded his tenure as chief executive officer of Apple on Monday, sending a final message to employees that paid homage to co-founder Steve Jobs and praised the company's workforce ahead of a executive handover.

Cook spent nearly three decades at Apple, holding the chief executive position since 2011 when he assumed control just weeks before Jobs died from pancreatic cancer. In his farewell note, first reported by TechXplore, Cook reflected on the firm's legacy, writing, "We have made it possible to leave our 'dent in the universe,' as Steve once described it."

Jobs initially recruited Cook in 1998, and by 2005 Cook had been elevated to chief operating officer, building a strong reputation for his oversight of global supply chain management. Under Cook's leadership, Apple expanded into one of the most valuable corporations in history, with its market capitalization surpassing $4.5 trillion on Monday.

Expressing gratitude to Apple's workforce—which counts around 166,000 employees globally according to its most recent annual filing—Cook credited the staff for the company's corporate milestones. "Whatever there is to say about my success, I know it is all because of you," Cook wrote. "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."

Cook added that he retains deep affection for the enterprise and its personnel, stating that it had been "the privilege of a lifetime serving as your leader."

Incoming chief executive John Ternus will officially take charge on Sept. 1, becoming only the second CEO to guide Apple following the era of Steve Jobs. Ternus joined the firm in 2001 within its design department and eventually rose through the executive ranks to become senior vice president of hardware engineering.

The leadership swap leaves Ternus with little runway before Apple's flagship autumn product unveilings on Sept. 9, where the hardware maker is anticipated to introduce its first foldable device. The transition also arrives amid broader strategic hurdles, including supply constraints around advanced semiconductors, mounting competition in generative artificial intelligence, and evolving policy friction in Washington.