‘Want someone from within company’: Apple CEO Tim Cook on future successor


Apple CEO Tim Cook, who has held that position since August 2011, has said he wants to be succeeded by someone from within the company itself, adding that the iPhone maker has ‘detailed succession’ plans in place.

Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple Inc. (File Photo/Bloomberg)

Cook was speaking on BBC’s ‘Dua Lipa: At Your Service’ podcast hosted by the British-Albanian singer.

“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,” Cook said, when asked by Lipa about his possible successor at the tech giant.

The business leader, 63, however, refused to reveal who all were being considered as Apple’s next leader, when he steps down or moves on.

“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 company that believes in succession plans…and so we have very detailed succession plans. This is because something that is unpredictable can always happen,” he added.

In April 2021, months before completing a decade as Apple’s CEO, Cook told 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 joined Apple in March 1998, and went on to serve in various positions, including Chief Operating Officer (COO). He succeeded co-founder Steve Jobs, months before the latter’s October 2011 demise, as the CEO.

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