After the U.S. stock market closed on Monday local time, Apple officially announced high-level personnel changes: Current CEO Tim Cook will step down in September this year and become chairman of the company's executive board; John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering, will take over as CEO. On the same day, Cook issued a personal open letter to Apple users and the Apple community around the world, reviewing his fifteen years of leadership, thanking users for their company, and sending a message to the new managers to explain Apple's future inheritance and persistence.
According to Apple's official announcement, Cook will remain as CEO this summer and will work with new CEO John Ternus to complete a smooth transition. The handover is Apple's first CEO change in fifteen years since Tim Cook succeeded Steve Jobs in 2011. During the fifteen years that Cook has been in charge of Apple, the company's market value has grown by leaps and bounds, with a cumulative increase of approximately 24 times. As of the day of this news, Apple's market value has exceeded US$4 trillion.
The following is the original text of the letter:
Tim Cook writes an open letter to all Apple users
To everyone in the Apple community: For the past fifteen years, I have maintained the same morning routine almost every day. Open your mailbox and read the previous day's letters from Apple users around the world.
You shared with me the details of your daily life, and told me about the little things that Apple products have brought to you: someone saved his mother's life because of the Apple Watch; someone took a perfect selfie with an Apple device on the top of a dangerous mountain; everyone thanked the Mac for changing the way they work; and occasionally expressed dissatisfaction to me, complaining that the functions they cared about were not working properly.
From every letter I receive, I feel the true connection between people. This makes me feel that the responsibility is getting heavier, and I encourage myself to be more diligent and keep improving. But the deepest feeling is indescribable gratitude - grateful that I am lucky enough to be the recipient of these letters and to be in charge of a company that can ignite people's imagination and profoundly enrich the lives of thousands of users. I will cherish this mission and privilege throughout my life.
Today, we officially announce a new phase of my career at Apple. In the coming months, I will gradually complete the transition and step down as CEO in September to become chairman of Apple's executive board. The best job in the world will have a new helmsman - John Turnus. He is an extremely talented engineer and strategic thinker. He has been deeply involved in Apple product research and development for 25 years and has created countless products that are loved by users. He demands every detail and does everything possible to make the product more outstanding, bolder, more exquisite and warmer. He is the perfect person to take over this job.
John deeply identifies with Apple's corporate core, adheres to Apple's mission, cares about every user, has good conduct, adheres to his heart, and has extremely pure leadership. I'm extremely proud to announce that he will be Apple's next CEO. Under his leadership, Apple will surely reach new heights. You will personally feel his intentions in the surprises and beauty brought by every new product and every new service in the future. I sincerely hope that you will come to know and trust him as I do.
This is not a farewell. At this moment of handover, I would like to express my personal gratitude to everyone. This time, I am not expressing gratitude on behalf of the company - all Apple colleagues are already filled with gratitude to all users. This time, speaking only for myself, Tim. An ordinary person who was born in a remote town and lived in an ordinary era was fortunate to be in charge of the world's greatest company during this precious time.
Thank you for your trust and kindness in me; thank you for greeting me cordially on the street and in Apple stores; thank you for your cheers and support all the way when we released new products and new services; and most of all, thank you for always believing in me and allowing me to lead this company that always puts users first.
We think about it day after day, just to try our best to make your life better; and day after day, you also achieve the most fulfilling life in my life.
Thank you all.
