Tim Cook shares emotional message on last day as Apple CEO, read full memo

Tim Cook has stepped down as Apple CEO after 15 years. As Cook moves to a new role at Apple, he shared an emotional message with employees, while praising his successor John Ternus.Tim Cook is no longer the CEO at Apple, but stays as executive chairman.It is the end of an era at Apple as Tim Cook signs off as CEO. Cook, who took over from Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in 2011, led Apple to new heights in the past 15 years. Now, as Tim Cook passes the baton to his successor, John Ternus, he shared a heartfelt message to Apple employees.In an internal email obtained by Bloomberg, Cook told Apple employees that serving as the company’s CEO was “the privilege of a lifetime.” The outgoing Apple CEO insisted that his staff had been behind his success. “You have brought out the best in me. In all my life, I have never seen or been with such an extraordinary team of people before, and every day I get to see more examples of that,” he wrote.Tim Cook referred to a famous quote from Steve Jobs of making a “dent in the universe” in the memo too, highlighting that today’s Apple had continued to live up to Jobs’ vision. “We have made it possible to leave our ‘dent in the universe,’ as Steve once described it, because of who we are and what we believe, because of what we value and how we see the world,” Cook explained.John Ternus becomes Apple CEO, Tim Cook calls him brilliantYou should know that Tim Cook, at 65, is not leaving Apple entirely. Instead, he will transition to the role of executive chairman where he will continue to oversee certain aspects of the company. John Ternus, on the other hand, will take over day-to-day responsibilities as CEO. In the same memo, Tim Cook called Ternus the right person to fill his shoes. “I take enormous comfort in handing the helm to someone as brilliant and wonderful and capable as John (Ternus),” he added.Cook also thanked the Apple community in a post on X, saying his title would change but his "love for the Apple community" would not. Tim Cook shared a post on X on his last day as Apple CEO. Cook has been with Apple for almost 30 years. He took over as CEO in August 2011, only weeks before Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died from pancreatic cancer. During his tenure as CEO, the company launched new products including the Apple Watch and AirPods, and expanded the iPhone, iPad and Mac lines.Under Tim Cook’s leadership, Apple grew into one of the world's most valuable companies in the world with its market value crossing $4.5 trillion on Monday. Back in August 2011, Apple was valued at $350 billion.Cook particularly focused on expanding Apple beyond hardware. Services including the App Store, Apple Music and Apple Pay became a larger part of the business.Who is John Ternus?John Ternus, 51, joined Apple's design team in 2001 and later became senior vice president of hardware engineering, reporting directly to Cook. He oversaw the engineering teams behind Apple's full range of products, including the iPhone. Going by reports, Tetanus is said to have been closely involved in Apple's shift to Apple Silicon (M series of chips for Macs) and played a key role in recent hardware developments, including the iPhone Air.Ternus is taking charge as Apple CEO just days before the upcoming Apple event. Scheduled for September 9, we expect to see John Ternus take the stage to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro series and the first-ever foldable iPhone.You can read Tim Cook's full memo to employees below:“Team,Today is my last day as CEO of Apple. This is a moment I always knew would come one day, and yet it is still hard to believe it has arrived and I am writing these words. I love this company and the team behind it, and I couldn't let this day pass without sending a note to you, to tell you how grateful I am for the outpouring of affection you've sent my way, for the way you've shown up each and every day, and most of all, for the privilege of a lifetime serving as your leader.The truth is, whatever there is to say about my success, I know it is all because of you. You have brought out the best in me. In all my life, I have never seen or been with such an extraordinary team of people before, and every day I get to see more examples of that.There is something truly special about Apple. I am most proud of what an annual report could never capture. This place is proof that culture triumphs over everything. We share a belief that what we build matters, and that we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to leave the world better than we found it. That purpose is part of what makes this place extraordinary. Apple helps nurture it, but I believe it lived within each of you long before you arrived here. It is what brought you to this company and what continues to drive the work you do every day. Together, we have created something far greater than any one of us could have imagined or accomplished alone. And that's the secret to our success. We bring out the best in each other. We lift each other up. We have made it possible to leave our "dent in the universe," as Steve once described it, because of who we are and what we believe, because of what we value and how we see the world. How fortunate we are. How fortunate I am.As you know, I am not leaving Apple. But I am stepping away from a role that I have loved deeply. I will miss this work in ways I can only begin to imagine, even as I remain completely at peace with my decision. I will miss leading you and being with you for every step, even as I take enormous comfort in handing the helm to someone as brilliant and wonderful and capable as John. Few people understand what it takes to build products that change the world the way John does and I could not be more excited for his leadership.I hope you know how much I appreciate you and what an honor it has been to be your CEO. Most of all, I hope you will continue to be proud to be part of this remarkable place we call Apple and always give it your very best. When we bring our whole selves to this work, with care for one another and for the people we serve, there is no limit to the profound difference we can make.I look forward to seeing you in my new role at Apple Park and around the world.With all I have and all I am, I am alwaysYours,Tim”- EndsPublished By: Armaan AgarwalPublished On: Sep 1, 2026 08:29 IST