Apple CEO Tim Cook has expressed a preference for an internal successor, stating that the company has comprehensive succession plans in motion.
Apple CEO Tim Cook, in his role since August 2011, has expressed his desire for his successor to come from within the company. In a podcast hosted by British-Albanian singer Dua Lipa on the BBC, Cook made this statement, “I really want a person to come from within Apple, the next CEO…and so that is my role to make sure that there are several [options] for the board to pick from.”
While expressing his preference for an internal successor, Cook did not reveal any specific individuals being considered for the future leadership role. He emphasized Apple’s dedication to succession planning, emphasizing the importance of readiness in light of the unpredictable nature of circumstances.
When asked for the successor’s name, he said, “I can’t say [a name]. But I would say that my job is to prepare several people for the ability to succeed. Now, we are a company that believes in succession plans…and so we have very detailed succession plans. This is because something that is unpredictable can always happen.”
In April 2021, just months before reaching the ten-year mark as Apple’s CEO, Cook shared with journalist Kara Swisher on her podcast, “10 more years (with the company)? Probably not…but I can tell you that I feel great right now and the date is not in sight. But 10 more years is a long time — and probably not ten more years.”
Cook became part of Apple in March 1998, taking on diverse roles, and eventually rising to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). Following the passing of co-founder Steve Jobs in October 2011, Cook succeeded him as the CEO.
In the podcast, Lipa inquired whether the Apple CEO envisioned himself still working at the company in 2050, particularly concerning the influence of Apple’s environmental initiatives, and he said, “2050 might be a stretch,” he said. He also didn’t give any timeline on how long he plans to continue in his role. “I don’t know how long I’ll be there.”
Cook also expressed that he can’t envision his life without working at Apple, ““I love it there and I can’t envision my life without being there,” he added. “And so I’ll be there for a while,” he told Lipa during the interview.
