Tim Cook to Stay at Apple, but Leadership Shake-Up May Be Coming

Tim Cook isn’t leaving Apple anytime soon.
That’s the message coming from a recent Bloomberg report, which suggests that despite mounting challenges, the tech giant’s CEO continues to enjoy full support from the board.

At 64, Cook shows no signs of stepping down, and the board — dominated by loyalists like Arthur Levinson and Ronald Sugar — seems to have no plans to replace him. “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” seems to be the sentiment driving this decision.

Apple Faces a Tough 2025

It’s been a challenging year for Apple. The company is falling behind in the fast-moving AI race, iPhone sales in China are declining, and innovation appears to be slowing down. Internally, some say the company’s once razor-sharp product culture is eroding.

Yet despite these hurdles, Cook remains the board’s ‘North Star’ — much like Bob Iger at Disney or Jamie Dimon at JPMorgan. Under his leadership, Apple’s market cap has soared, and its services and subscription businesses have flourished, which continues to inspire confidence among decision-makers.

Even a 16% dip in Apple’s stock hasn’t shaken the board’s trust in Tim Cook.

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Leadership Bench is Thinning

While Cook is staying put, the rest of Apple’s top team is undergoing big changes. COO Jeff Williams, often seen as Cook’s closest ally and a possible successor, is retiring this year. That leaves a leadership vacuum at the top.

Several other key executives are also aging out.

• CFO Luca Maestri is in transition

• Former hardware head Dan Riccio has already exited

• Marketing chief Greg Joswiak and App Store boss Phil Schiller may not be far behind

• Services head Eddy Cue has raised internal alarms

According to insiders, Cue has warned that Apple could risk becoming “the next BlackBerry” if major strategic changes aren’t made soon.

No Successor, No Grooming Process

What’s striking is the lack of a clear successor to Cook. With no obvious grooming process underway and half of his direct team in their 60s, Apple’s future leadership path appears uncertain.

The board believes Cook still works — but change is clearly on the horizon.

There’s growing speculation that an internal overhaul is inevitable, even if not immediate. With a changing tech landscape and AI reshaping the game, Apple may need fresh leadership to navigate what’s next — even if Tim Cook remains at the wheel for now.

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