Apple on the verge of change: How the leadership team is changing

A lot will change at Apple in the coming years. While the public is primarily speculating about CEO Tim Cook's successor, the company faces an even greater challenge: almost its entire leadership team is approaching retirement age. By 2030, many of the most well-known faces who have shaped Apple over the past decades will likely leave their positions. The company is thus facing a generational change that could have a long-term impact on its culture and strategy.

Apple has been one of the world's most valuable companies for years and is often seen as a synonym for stability, perfection, and efficiency. Apple owes this stability to a leadership team that has remained virtually unchanged for over a decade. Many of these managers began their careers at Apple during Steve Jobs's time and have since become key figures in the company's strategy. But a look at the age structure clearly shows: change is inevitable. While Tim Cook himself is already 64, almost all of the other top executives are over 60.

An era is visibly aging

A quick look at Apple’s current leadership team shows how much the times have progressed:

Tim Cook, CEO – 64 years
Katherine Adams, General Counsel – 61 years
Eddy Cue, Senior Vice President Services – 60 years
Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President Software Engineering – 56 years old
John Giannandrea, Senior Vice President Machine Learning & AI – 60 years
Greg Joswiak, Senior Vice President Worldwide Marketing – 61 years
Sabih Khan, Chief Operating Officer – 59 years old
Deirdre O'Brien, Senior Vice President Retail + People – 59 years old
Kevan Parekh, Chief Financial Officer – 53 years
Johny Srouji, Senior Vice President Hardware Technologies – 61 years
John Ternus, Senior Vice President Hardware Engineering – 50 years
Jeff Williams, Senior Vice President Design, Watch and Health – 62 years

The average age is over 58, making Apple's leadership team among the oldest in Silicon Valley. The last major personnel changes took place years ago. John Ternus took over the hardware division in 2021, and Kevan Parekh became the new CFO in 2024. At 50 and 53, respectively, both are among the younger members of the management team and are considered potential key figures in the coming years.

The succession question: More than just Tim Cook

The discussion in the media mostly revolves around Tim Cook's successor. It is easily overlooked that many other positions will soon need to be filled. Cook himself has repeatedly emphasized that he does not plan to stay in office forever. When exactly he will leave is open – but it seems realistic that Apple will have a new leader by 2030. Who might replace Cook is currently speculation. The successor will probably come from within the company. John Ternus is considered one of the most promising candidates. He heads Apple's hardware development and was responsible for the M-series of Apple chips. Also mentioned is Jeff Williams, who as Chief Operating Officer has worked closely with Cook for years and is considered a "mini-Cook" on internal projects.

However, it's unlikely that Apple will suddenly break new ground with a new CEO. The corporate culture is strongly geared toward continuity. Whoever succeeds will align themselves with Cook's style—rational, methodical, and numbers-driven.

Stability as a trademark

Apple is considered one of the most stable companies in the world. This stability is part of its brand and one of the main reasons why investors trust the company. But this very stability could pose a challenge in the coming years. While many younger tech companies rely on quick decisions and aggressive expansion, Apple is moving cautiously. Major shifts in direction are not to be expected, even if leadership changes. The company is now so large that changes take years to become apparent. Apple is a global corporation with a complex supply chain, multi-billion dollar contracts, and enormous economic influence. A single leader can hardly change this course alone.

The next few years: change without revolution

By 2030, Apple is likely to undergo a transition phase in which experienced executives are gradually replaced by a younger generation. This change will not occur abruptly, but gradually. The company is already preparing to gradually fill key positions without jeopardizing its internal balance. At the same time, Apple must respond to global developments. Geopolitical tensions between the US and China are forcing the company to diversify its supply chains. Manufacturing is expected to increasingly be relocated to countries like India and Vietnam. This strategic realignment will influence decisions well beyond 2030—regardless of who is at the helm at that time.

Apple is more successful than ever – thanks to Tim Cook

Apple between tradition and future

Despite all the upcoming changes, Apple isn't expected to abandon its core philosophy. The company will continue to focus on quality, design, and integration—and less on short-term experiments. The next leadership team is likely to continue this course, even if they bring fresh impetus to individual areas. Apple is transitioning from the "Cook era" to a new phase that may not have the same name, but will bear the same spirit: precise planning, controlled innovation, and long-term strategy.

Generational change without a change of course at Apple

Apple's leadership team is at the beginning of a generational shift. Many of the current top executives will be leaving their positions in the next five years. New faces will shape the company, but its direction won't change drastically. Apple will remain what it always has been: a giant moving slowly but purposefully. Change will come – not in the form of a revolution, but rather as a well-planned transition. And that's precisely the style that has made Apple so successful. (Image: Shutterstock / SnapASkyline)