Tim Cook sent a farewell memo to Apple employees on Monday, his final day as the company’s CEO before handing the role to hardware engineering chief John Ternus on September 1.
The memo struck a reflective tone as Cook addressed a leadership transition that ends his 15-year run atop one of the world’s most closely watched companies.
“Today is my last day as CEO of Apple,” Cook wrote. “This is a moment I always knew would come one day, and yet it is still hard to believe it has arrived and I am writing these words.”
Cook credited the company’s employees with his success throughout the letter. “The truth is, whatever there is to say about my success, I know it is all because of you,” he wrote, before invoking Steve Jobs’ well-known phrase about making a dent in the universe. “We have made it possible to leave our ‘dent in the universe,’ as Steve once described it, because of who we are and what we believe.”
Cook expressed confidence in Ternus while acknowledging the emotional weight of stepping back from a role he described as deeply personal. “I will miss this work in ways I can only begin to imagine, even as I remain completely at peace with my decision,” he wrote. “Few people understand what it takes to build products that change the world the way John does.”
Alongside the internal memo, Cook posted a message to customers on social media. “Sending lots of love to the Apple community on my last day as CEO,” he wrote. “My title changes tomorrow, but the love I have for the Apple community never will. Thank you for being a constant source of inspiration. My gratitude is endless, and I’m excited for the next chapter!”
Cook will remain at Apple as executive chairman rather than departing the company outright.
