History
Apple CEOs in order — who led Apple before John Ternus
John Ternus is Apple's chief executive as of September 1, 2026. He is commonly listed as the company's eighth CEO. Tim Cook held the job from 2011. Steve Jobs held it in two stretches. This page is a date list, not a full corporate history.
Short answer. Apple's CEO now is John Ternus (from September 1, 2026). Before him: Tim Cook (2011–2026). Before Cook: Steve Jobs (1997–2011 in the modern era). Ternus is commonly counted as Apple's eighth CEO.
Who is the CEO of Apple?
John Ternus, effective September 1, 2026. Apple announced the succession on April 20, 2026. See Who is Apple's new CEO?.
Apple chief executives, in order
This is the sequence used in Apple-history roundups (including MacDailyNews's September 1, 2026 leadership-page note). Years are the conventional public ranges, not a substitute for Apple's own archives.
| # | Name | Years as CEO | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Scott | 1977–1981 | Early professional CEO era |
| 2 | Mike Markkula | 1981–1983 | Co-founder / investor period |
| 3 | John Sculley | 1983–1993 | Pepsi hire; Jobs left in 1985 |
| 4 | Michael Spindler | 1993–1996 | |
| 5 | Gil Amelio | 1996–1997 | Jobs returned via NeXT |
| 6 | Steve Jobs | 1997–2011 | Also a founder; 2011 death |
| 7 | Tim Cook | 2011–2026 | Operations background; now executive chairman |
| 8 | John Ternus | 2026–present | Hardware engineering background |
Steve Jobs was also a leading figure before 1985; this table follows the usual "CEO title" list rather than relitigating founder politics.
Tim Cook to John Ternus
Cook became CEO in 2011 after Jobs. He ran Apple for 15 years. On September 1, 2026 he became executive chairman. He did not leave the company.
Ternus joined Apple in 2001, became hardware VP in 2013, hardware SVP in 2021, and CEO in 2026. The transition page covers titles and board roles.
Why the list matters for search
Queries such as "who is Apple CEO," "who was the CEO of Apple," "Apple CEO name," and "new CEO of Apple company" mix current-title intent with history intent. Current title: Ternus. Immediate predecessor: Cook. Modern icon: Jobs.
This site exists to document Ternus. It is not an Apple corporate-history encyclopedia. For Ternus's own dates, use the timeline.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the CEO of Apple now?
John Ternus, since September 1, 2026.
Who was CEO of Apple before John Ternus?
Tim Cook, from 2011 until August 31, 2026. Cook remains at Apple as executive chairman.
How many CEOs has Apple had?
Eight in the list commonly used for the company: Scott, Markkula, Sculley, Spindler, Amelio, Jobs, Cook, Ternus.
Is John Ternus Apple's first engineer CEO since Jobs?
Newsrooms often note that Ternus is the first Apple CEO in about three decades whose career was hardware and product, unlike Cook's operations path.
Related reading
Sources
- Tim Cook to become Apple Executive Chairman; John Ternus to become Apple CEO (Apple Newsroom)
- Apple Leadership (Apple)
- John Ternus (Wikipedia)
Last updated 2026-09-11. Dates change only when the page is actually revised.