Tim Cook reveals how he wants his 15 years at Apple remembered

After 15 years at the helm of Apple, Tim Cook is stepping down as CEO with a surprisingly personal wish for his legacy. He says he hopes people remember him as "a good and decent man."Tim Cook Apple 15 years: CEO shares how he wants to be remembered (Photo: Reuters)Tim Cook is about to close one of the longest chapters in Apple’s modern history. After 15 years as CEO, he is stepping away from the top job but when asked what he hopes people will remember about him, his answer had little to do with Apple’s market value, products or financial success. Cook wants something much simpler. Speaking exclusively to CBS News’ Jo Ling Kent, Cook said he hopes people will remember him as “a good and decent man.” “If they say that at the end of the day, I feel like I have achieved something,” he said. It is a striking answer from a CEO whose time at Apple has been defined by enormous business growth. But Cook has never appeared particularly interested in writing his own legacy. He has said that it is ultimately other people who will decide how his leadership is judged. From Steve Jobs’ successor to Apple’s longest-serving CEOCook took over as Apple CEO on August 24, 2011, as Steve Jobs’ health was deteriorating. Jobs died on October 5 that year after battling a rare form of pancreatic cancer. The transition placed Cook in one of the most closely watched leadership positions in technology. He had already been a key figure at Apple for years, joining the company in 1998 as senior vice president of worldwide operations and becoming chief operating officer in 2005.His role in building Apple's supply chain had prepared him for the enormous operational demands of running the company. Over the next 15 years, Apple grew into an even larger business, expanding beyond its traditional hardware products into services and other categories. The financial numbers tell part of that story. Apple generated $109 billion in revenue in its latest quarter, a figure that was higher than the company’s total revenue during Cook’s first year as CEO. But Cook’s own view of leadership has not been centred only on numbers. One of the lessons he carried from Jobs was to avoid constantly asking what his predecessor would have done. At a memorial service, Cook recalled Jobs telling him, “Just do what's right.” That advice stayed with Cook throughout his tenure. John Ternus gets Cook’s adviceAs Cook prepares to leave the CEO role, Apple is already looking toward its next chapter. John Ternus, the company’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, will become CEO on September 1, 2026. Cook has offered Ternus some advice of his own. “What I've told him is that one of the most important decisions he’ll make is where to spend his time, and I would spend it where the greatest benefit to the company and the users are,” Cook said during Apple’s second-quarter earnings call. He also reminded Ternus not to lose sight of what Apple is ultimately trying to achieve.“And never forget the North Star for the company. We're about making the best products in the world that really enrich other people's lives,” Cook said.Cook will not disappear from Apple after September 1. He will become executive chairman and is expected to remain involved in certain areas, including serving as a special government liaison. He may also continue appearing at selected press events, although he will no longer lead Apple keynotes.- EndsPublished By: Ankita GargPublished On: Aug 14, 2026 18:36 IST