Apple CEO Tim Cook ‘unlikely’ to leave any time soon but an overhaul may be on the cards

Apple CEO Tim Cook

It has been a bit of a tough 2025 for Apple. It seems to be losing ground in the AI arms race by the hour. iPhone sales in China are dwindling and there seems to be quite a but of pressure on its leader-in-chief. A report by Bloomberg states that despite the pressure, there are no signs of Apple CEO Tim Cook packing it in.

At 64, Apple’s long-serving CEO shows no signs of packing his bags — and the board isn’t nudging him either. As per the report, despite Apple’s AI stumbles, sluggish innovation, and the erosion of its product-focused culture, Cook remains the board’s North Star — much like Bob Iger at Disney or Jamie Dimon at JPMorgan.

Cook’s closest lieutenant, COO Jeff Williams, is retiring this year, leaving a gaping hole in Apple’s leadership bench. With no clear successor and no signs of a grooming process underway, Cook’s grip on Apple seems likely to last well into the next decade. According to the report, the board — stacked with loyalists like Arthur Levinson and Ronald Sugar — sees no reason to change what they still believe works. After all, under Cook, Apple’s market cap ballooned and its subscription business took off. Even the current 16% stock dip hasn’t shaken that faith.

Yet, the company is undeniably in flux, as per the report. Several key executives are aging out. Half of Cook’s direct reports are in their 60s. CFO Luca Maestri is transitioning out, and Dan Riccio has already exited. Marketing head Greg Joswiak and App Store boss Phil Schiller may not be far behind. Services chief Eddy Cue is sounding alarms internally, warning that without swift change, Apple risks becoming the next BlackBerry.

To address that, according to the report, Apple is slowly overhauling leadership. Sabih Khan will take over as COO, though he’s not seen as CEO material. New CFO Kevan Parekh is already in place. But none of them are the heir apparent, claims the report.

Who might be the next Apple CEO?
If there’s a frontrunner to succeed Cook, it’s hardware chief John Ternus. He’s younger, has decades at Apple, and carries the “product guy” tag — something many believe is essential for the next CEO. However, Ternus lacks operational and financial experience, meaning he’d need a strong support structure if he took the top job, notes the report.