Apple has expanded the role of hardware chief John Ternus to include oversight of the company’s design teams.
This change has strengthened his position as a potential successor to CEO Tim Cook.
Ternus is now described internally as the “executive sponsor” of design teams.
Apple has expanded the role of hardware chief John Ternus to include oversight of the company’s design teams, strengthening his position as a potential successor to CEO Tim Cook. Cook, who has led Apple since 2011 and turned 65 in November, quietly assigned Ternus to manage the design teams at the end of last year, reports Bloomberg. The change adds one of Apple’s most important functions to Ternus’ responsibilities, covering both hardware and software design.
SurveyDesign has always been a critical part of Apple’s success, dating back to the Steve Jobs era. Jobs’ longtime design partner, Jony Ive, held the role until 2019, while Cook oversaw design between 2015 and 2017. Jeff Williams, Apple’s former COO, held the position until his retirement at the end of 2025.
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Ternus is now described internally as the “executive sponsor” of design teams, but they will still report to Cook. Even with this change, there are no signs Cook plans to step down soon. Apple recently confirmed that current chairman Art Levinson will remain in his role past the February shareholder meeting, hinting that any chairman transition is unlikely before 2027.
Ternus, 50, is the youngest member of Apple’s executive team and already worked closely with the industrial design team. But he had not been responsible for software interface design or the broader design group.
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The shift comes amid broader changes at Apple, including the departure of several senior executives and growing speculation about the company’s succession plans. Alongside Ternus, chief operating officer Sabih Khan is also considered a potential future CEO.
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Ayushi Jain
Ayushi works as Chief Copy Editor at Digit, covering everything from breaking tech news to in-depth smartphone reviews. Prior to Digit, she was part of the editorial team at IANS. View Full Profile
