Key Apple Executives Depart as Company Navigates Leadership Transition
A wave of departures is reshaping Apple’s leadership team, with high-profile executives in artificial intelligence, design, and product lines-including a key figure behind the iPhone Air-leaving for rival companies, most notably Meta. The exits coincide with a period of significant internal restructuring and anticipation surrounding the eventual succession of CEO Tim Cook.
Thes departures represent a potential inflection point for Apple. As the company invests heavily in emerging technologies like AI and prepares to launch possibly groundbreaking products like a foldable iPhone and augmented reality glasses,the loss of experienced leaders could impact its innovation pipeline.The shifts also occur as Apple navigates the planned retirement of long-serving COO Jeff Williams and the broader transition away from its original leadership guard, setting the stage for a new era under a yet-to-be-named successor-currently speculated to be John Ternus.
Among those leaving is John Giannandrea, Apple’s head of AI, who is returning to Google. additionally, Evans Hankey, the executive responsible for the iPhone Air, is also departing for Meta. These moves follow the recent retirement of Jeff Williams, Apple’s Chief Operating Officer, prompting a company-wide restructuring.
The timing of these changes suggests Apple is deliberately clearing the path for a new generation of leadership. While rumors point to a potential retirement for Tim Cook as early as 2026, the succession plan is demonstrably underway. The incoming leader will inherit a company undergoing significant change, tasked with managing a newly formed team and steering Apple through its next phase of innovation.
