Passing the Torch
Earlier this year I already posted about the Apple CEO succession and now it’s official: in the same year Apple turns 50, and after 15 years of doing a tremendous job, Tim Cook will hand over the CEO role to John Ternus in September. From 2011 to 2026, $AAPL delivered a 20× return under the leadership of Tim Cook.
Ternus is a longtime Apple insider himself, having led the Hardware division over the past years. There’s that photo of the two of them taking a walk together, it says a lot about this transition, which is a hugely important one for the American tech industry.
It feels a bit like Berkshire: just as with Buffett, Cook has built an exceptional track record over many years, and investors now have to decide whether they can place the same level of trust in the next leader. Personally, I’m confident this succession has been carefully planned and will turn out to be successful.
What do you think, will Apple maintain its position as one of the world’s biggest and most cash-generating businesses?