Tim Cook has finally stepped down as chief executive officer of Apple, bringing an end to nearly 15 years leading one of the world’s most valuable technology companies.
In a message to Apple employees on his final day as CEO, Cook reflected on his tenure, thanking the company’s employees and describing his time leading Apple as “the privilege of a lifetime.”
“Today is my last day as CEO of Apple,” Cook wrote. “I love this company and the team behind it, and I couldn’t let this day pass without sending a note to you, to tell you how grateful I am.”
Cook, who succeeded Apple co-founder Steve Jobs as CEO in August 2011, credited Apple’s employees for the company’s achievements during his tenure. He said whatever success was attributed to him was ultimately the result of the people he led.
“The truth is, whatever there is to say about my success, I know it is all because of you,” Cook said. “You have brought out the best in me.”
A leadership era comes to an end
Cook’s tenure has been defined by Apple’s expansion beyond the iPhone into a broader ecosystem of hardware, software and services. Under his leadership, the company launched products including the Apple Watch, AirPods and Vision Pro, while transitioning its Mac lineup to Apple-designed silicon.
The firm also significantly expanded its services business, with products including Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Pay, iCloud and other subscription offerings becoming increasingly important to the company’s growth. Cook also presided over the firm’s growing focus on privacy, environmental sustainability and artificial intelligence, including the company’s push into Apple Intelligence.
In his farewell message, however, Cook said the achievements that mattered most to him were not those captured in the firm’s financial reports.
“There is something truly special about Apple,” he wrote. “I am most proud of what an annual report could never capture. This place is proof that culture triumphs over everything.”
He said the firm’s culture is built around the belief that its products and work should make a meaningful difference in the world.
Cook will remain at Apple
Although Cook is leaving the CEO position, he emphasized that he is not leaving Apple.
“As you know, I am not leaving Apple. But I am stepping away from a role that I have loved deeply,” he wrote.
Cook said he would miss leading the company but remained at peace with the decision. He also expressed confidence in his successor John Ternus.
“I take enormous comfort in handing the helm to someone as brilliant and wonderful and capable as John,” Cook wrote. “Few people understand what it takes to build products that change the world the way John does and I could not be more excited for his leadership.”
The transition marks a significant moment for the firm as it enters a new phase of leadership while confronting intensifying competition in artificial intelligence, evolving consumer technology markets and continued regulatory pressure.
Cook is transitioning to executive chairman and will still be around the firm though not on a day-to-day basis. “With all I have and all I am, I am always yours,” he wrote. Cook became Apple’s CEO on August 24, 2011, succeeding Steve Jobs. His departure from the CEO role closes one of the longest and most consequential chapters in Apple’s modern history, while his continued presence at the company is expected to provide continuity as the new leadership team takes over.