Following his appointment as Apple CEO on September 1, 2026, John Ternus is spending substantially more time inside the company's design studios than his predecessor Tim Cook, according to reporting from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Ternus, who joined Apple's product design team in 2001 and reached senior vice president of hardware engineering in 2021, visits the design workspace multiple times per week to directly guide product decisions.
Executive Delegation Frees CEO Focus
Ternus maintains an intensive presence in design reviews by delegating core operational responsibilities to co-executives. Chief Financial Officer Kevin Parekh manages corporate finances, while Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan oversees global supply chain operations. This structural split frees Ternus to concentrate on engineering and design, departing from Cook's management style, which reportedly included design studio visits of roughly one hour per month.
Direct Oversight Replaces Design Chief Role
Apple's design structure has evolved significantly since former chief design officer Jony Ive left the company in 2019. Industrial design and interface teams previously reported to former Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams until his retirement in 2025. Following subsequent departures to companies such as Meta and OpenAI—including former interface lead Alan Dye—Apple is not seeking a single chief design officer. Instead, industrial design head Molly Anderson and human interface lead Steve Lemay work with Ternus, who acts as the primary decision-maker on product design.
Engineering Background Shapes Product Direction
Having spent over two decades in Apple's product design and hardware engineering divisions, Ternus informed employees that he intends to lead according to his own experience rather than replicating Cook's operational routine. As Apple rebuilds its design groups with promoted staff and new hires, Ternus's direct involvement in hardware design is expected to influence future product releases following recent presentations such as the iPhone Duo.
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Source: Apple CEO John Ternus puts design front and center
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