Apple‘s longtime Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams has officially retired effective November 14, 2025, marking the end of a remarkable 27-year career that fundamentally shaped the tech giant’s global operations and strategic direction.
Williams, 62, transitioned out of his COO role in July 2025 when Sabih Khan assumed the position. Throughout his remaining months, Williams continued overseeing Apple’s design team, Apple Watch, and health initiatives before stepping down completely.
The retirement of Williams, who was once considered a leading candidate to succeed CEO Tim Cook, represents a watershed moment for Apple’s leadership pipeline. Tim Cook himself, now 65, is reportedly preparing his own exit as soon as next year, according to recent Financial Times reporting.
Sabih Khan, a 30-year Apple veteran, seamlessly transitioned into the COO role, bringing extensive operational expertise and a deep commitment to advancing Apple’s supply chain initiatives, sustainable manufacturing, and US-based production expansion. Khan joined Apple’s procurement group in 1995 and has spent the last six years leading the global supply chain.
Williams’ departure triggered a broader organizational reshuffling across Apple’s executive ranks. John Ternus, Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, now oversees all Apple Watch hardware engineering—a product Williams championed since its inception. Eddy Cue, Senior Vice President of Services, assumed responsibility for Apple’s Health and Fitness divisions. Craig Federighi expanded his software engineering portfolio to include watchOS alongside Siri and visionOS.
CEO Tim Cook praised Williams’ legacy, stating, “Without him, there would be no Apple as we know it today,” highlighting his instrumental role in building the company’s world-class supply chain, launching the Apple Watch, architecting Apple’s health strategy, and leading Apple’s renowned design team.
Looking forward, John Ternus is widely considered the top contender to become Apple’s next CEO when Cook steps down. At 50, Ternus brings a hardware-centric perspective at a time when Apple is intensifying efforts in new product categories and artificial intelligence development.
For Latest Tech Updates Please follow us :
facebook | twitter | instagram | telegram | whatsapp
