Who will be the next Apple CEO when Tim Cook retires?

Years after Tim Cook marked his 10-year anniversary as CEO of Apple, speculation mounts as to who might succeed him when he eventually retires. Cook took on the task of filling the shoes of the legendary Steve Jobs, and while he has not eclipsed Jobs' legacy, Cook has overseen remarkable growth at Apple, including expanding the product portfolio with new services, wearables, and a wider array of screen sizes. Although he is set to receive 1 million shares in 2025, designed to keep him at the helm, Cook is likely to retire sometime between 2025 and 2028. Image credit: Sky News Apple recently unveiled their latest new product, the Apple Vision Pro, to much fanfare and media attention around the world. But Cook has indicated that he wants to see the launch of augmented reality glasses before he steps down. With Cook overseeing a multitrillion-dollar empire with over 100,000 employees, speculation is rife as to who will succeed him.

Several names are being touted as potential candidates. Kate Adams, Apple's General Counsel, is considered to be a sound legal expert, but her relative newcomer status at the company means she may not be picked. Image credit: MacRumors (Photo of Eddy Cue)

Eddy Cue

Eddy Cue, a 32-year veteran of Apple, has prepared three deputies to take over his $50 billion-plus per year services division. While Peter Stern is considered a shoo-in for the job, Oliver Schusser, who runs Apple Music, and Jennifer Bailey, who oversees Apple Pay, are also considered capable.

Craig Federighi

Craig Federighi, who oversees thousands of engineers pushing out software upgrades each year, is seen by some as having the charisma and technical chops to take on the role of CEO. He's consistently been a favorite with fans, and actually, there has been discussion that in an ideal world, Craig would be the next CEO of Apple. (Speaking personally, I really want to see Craig as the next CEO — he's got such a strong stage presence, personality and leadership qualities that make him so much more than just a 'numbers guy' like the current CEO). Anyways, while he has dismissed speculation that he might rise to the top job, Kevin Lynch or Sebastien Marineau-Mes could step into his current role if he did. John Giannandrea, an AI and machine learning expert, is trying to make such technology a core competency at Apple, but he is a relative newcomer to the company and runs a minor aspect of it, making his chances of becoming CEO less likely.

Greg Joswiak

Greg Joswiak, the longest-serving Apple employee on Cook's executive team, was promoted to senior vice president last year, and he has been part of Apple's innermost circle of product managers for many years. While he is not seen as having the technical expertise of some of the other potential candidates, he is considered a competent manager.

So, why do you think will be the next Apple CEO? Let us know in the comments below.

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