On August 24, 2011, Steve Jobs arrived at Apple Inc. headquarters in Cupertino at 11am for the company’s annual board meeting. The campus was a hive of activity as different board committees concluded their business. After Tim Cook and Peter Oppenheimer finished reviewing the quarterly results and projections for the year ahead, Jobs said quietly that he had something personal to share.
“Cook asked whether he and the other top managers should leave. Jobs paused for more than 30 seconds before he decided they should,” Walter Isaacson writes in the biography Steve Jobs.
Once the room had been cleared of everyone except the six outside directors, Jobs began reading aloud from a letter he had dictated and revised over the previous weeks.
“I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know,” it began. “Unfortunately, that day has come.”
The letter was simple and direct, only eight sentences long. In it, he suggested that Cook replaces him and offered to serve as chairperson of the board.
“I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it, and I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.”
There was a long silence.
Al Gore, one of the board members, was the first to speak. He listed Jobs’ accomplishments during his tenure. Millard Drexler added that watching Jobs transform Apple was “the most incredible thing I have ever seen in business.” Arthur Levinson praised Jobs’ diligence in ensuring a smooth transition. Bill Campbell said nothing, but there were tears in his eyes as the formal resolutions transferring power were passed.
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As he prepared to leave, the board members gathered around him and embraced him.
It is now 15 years since Jobs stepped down, paving the way for Cook. And the script is turning again.
On April 20, 2026, Apple announced that Cook will be stepping down as CEO, with John Ternus, senior vice-president for Hardware Engineering, taking over as CEO on September 1,1 2026. In a statement, Apple said the transition, approved unanimously by the board of directors, follows a thoughtful and long-term succession planning process.
Levinson, who served on the board during Jobs’ time and has been Apple’s non-executive chairman for the past fifteen years, will become lead independent director on September 1, 2026. Ternus will join the board of directors on the same date.
“Tim’s unprecedented and outstanding leadership has transformed Apple into the world’s best company. He has introduced groundbreaking products and services time and again, and his integrity and values are infused into everything Apple does,” said Levinson.
“On behalf of the entire board, we are incredibly grateful for his contributions to Apple and to the world.”
The Apple succession story offers many lessons for leaders. I share here only five.
Power of architecture
There are striking similarities in how Jobs stepped down and how Cook is stepping down. When Jobs stepped down, he became chairman of the board. We see a similar pattern as Cook transitions to executive chairman.
This speaks to a guided transition. Apple is not leaving anything to chance. It has created a transition architecture that ensures continuity, oversight, and support for the incoming leader. The company has also indicated that Cook will continue working closely with Ternus to ensure a smooth transition.
l To read full article, visit: www.theindependent.co.zw
Bere is a civic leadership architect and founder and chief executive officer of the Civic Leadership Institute (CLI), a Pan-African platform advancing leadership accompaniment, research, and institution building. His work centres on leadership accompaniment and the long-term task of building institutions and supporting movements and communities that can sustain accountability and public trust. Over the past decade, he has worked with civic organisations in leadership and advisory roles, supporting institutional growth, transitions and leadership development. — [email protected]. More information on the work of CLI is available at www.civicleadershipinstitute.com
