Tim Cook
Tim Cook is Apple’s Executive Chair and served as the company’s chief executive officer (CEO) from August 2011 until 2026. He is known for overseeing the launch of new product categories such as Apple Watch and AirPods and for Apple’s transition to its own silicon during his time as CEO. See the Apple entry for the company.
Career and milestones as CEO
According to Apple’s leadership profile, Cook joined Apple in 1998 and served as chief operating officer before becoming CEO, responsible for worldwide sales, operations, and supply chain. He became CEO in August 2011 and transitioned to executive chair of the board in 2026, with John Ternus succeeding him as CEO per Apple’s leadership directory.
The leadership profile lists milestones from his tenure: launching new product categories including Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro; expanding services such as iCloud, Apple Pay, Apple TV, and Apple Music into a business generating more than $100 billion; leading the shift to Apple-designed silicon; and growing the installed base to over 2.5 billion devices. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Auburn University and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and has served on the Nike board, among other roles.
Mention in the show
Tim Cook is not a participant in the episode; the following are the hosts’ own comments. In Weekly #002’s chapter “界面标准与长期一致性为什么重要” (Why interface standards and long-term consistency matter) of the Chinese transcript, Orange says he just finished listening to He Tongxue’s retrospective of Cook’s fifteen years as CEO and notes that Siri launched the year Cook took office (paragraph); he then comments that Siri remained disappointing across Cook’s entire tenure (paragraph). Later in the same chapter, Yang Pan and Xiangyang Qiaomu discuss Apple’s privacy focus and its position as a consumer electronics company rather than an AI model company. These remarks are commentary in the show’s context, not statements by Tim Cook.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tim Cook still Apple’s CEO?
No. He served as CEO from August 2011 until 2026, when he became Executive Chair; see Apple’s leadership profile.
Who succeeded Tim Cook as Apple’s CEO?
John Ternus succeeded Cook as CEO in 2026. As of September 2026, Apple’s leadership directory lists Sabih Khan as COO and Kevan Parekh as CFO; the directory carries the full current lineup.
When did Tim Cook join Apple and become CEO?
Per Apple’s leadership profile, he joined Apple in 1998, was chief operating officer before the role, and became CEO in August 2011, serving until 2026.
What new product categories did Apple launch under Tim Cook?
According to Apple’s leadership profile, new categories launched during his tenure include Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro, alongside the transition to Apple-designed silicon.