According to Business Insider, Tim Cook has steered Apple's ship as CEO for more than 14 years, marking him as the longest - serving chief executive in the company's history. Naturally, he can't hold this pivotal position forever.

In the midst of Apple's leadership transitions, Jeff Williams, who has long played the role of the second - in - command, has declared his intention to retire before 2026. Over the past 18 months, a flurry of reports has pointed to John Ternus, a key figure in Apple's hardware business, as a leading candidate for the CEO role.

Ternus, now 50 years old, first joined Apple's product design team back in 2001. His career at Apple has been a steady ascent. In 2013, he took on the position of Vice President of Hardware Engineering. And in 2021, he climbed further up the corporate ladder to become the Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. In this capacity, he is in charge of overseeing all of Apple's hardware engineering teams. His influence extends across the development of numerous well - known Apple products, such as the iPad and AirPods. Moreover, Ternus has made regular public appearances at product launches, including those for the iPhone. This has significantly raised his profile among Apple enthusiasts and the financial community on Wall Street, making him a more recognizable face in the tech world.