Although this year it was hinted that the end of Tim Cook as CEO of Apple could be close, the truth is that it seems that the Alabamian has left rope for a while and with the company obtaining record income as reported this week, even more. However, if we were to take a look at candidates to succeed him, the truth is that there are many options that the shareholders’ meeting and Cook himself could consider.
Multiple candidates if a female bet is made
The role of women has been gaining more and more weight at Apple and not because of simple fees, but because of its own merits. In Apple’s management team we can find an interesting shortlist headed by Katherine Adams, current Senior Vice President and General Counsel. He came to the company in 2017 and could be a good bet, although his role is currently governed more by legal and social responsibility issues and not so much in financial matters or products and services.
Deirdre O’Brien it is probably the female bet that would have the most integers. She knows “the street” well, having been at the company for 30 years, no less, and since 2019 she has been the vice president in charge of the Apple Store after the departure of Angela Ahrents. The fact that she has a degree in operations management gives her additional training as a candidate for the most relevant position in the company.
Katherine Adams (left) and Derdrie O’brien (right)
The old guard could take over
The former vice president of global marketing, Phil Schiller Since 2020 it occupies a less important position such as the management of company events and the App Store section. His career with the company dates back to the early 2000s and he knows the company very well, although taking a back seat puts him closer to retirement than to succeeding Tim Cook.
Phil Schiller
Of the entire list, probably the favorite be Jeff Williams, Apple’s current chief operating officer since 2004 and in charge of engineering the Apple Watch. Occupying with such success some positions that Tim Cook once held place him in the trigger to be the future CEO, in addition to having 23 years of experience in the company and having gone through other large companies such as IBM.
Jeff williams
The charismatic Craig Federighi It’s probably every Apple fan favorite for the sympathy it casts. Steve Jobs recruited him to NeXT in the late 1990s and then brought him to Apple, serving as vice president of software for more than 10 years. However, despite his good work and being a well-known character, he does not seem to be on the list to succeed Cook, nor was he when Jobs had to retire due to his illness.
Craig Federighi
And how about a bet on external candidates?
In addition to having other possible candidates in the company, the possibility of someone from outside the company who runs Apple tomorrow is very tall. Of course, it will always depend on the profile that the shareholders’ meeting is looking for and this is where we find an almost infinite list.
In fact, it would not be ruled out even if they chose to bring back any of the former Apple workers. See Angela Ahrendts, who from 2014 to 2019 changed the course of the Apple Store and was the number one candidate to succeed Cook until she decided to leave to be part of the Airbnb management.
Angela ahrendts
And although it seems unlikely, many would be excited to see the Jonny Ive’s triumphant return, one of the key figures in the history of the company who together with Steve Jobs managed to change the course of the company. A design expert, an area he led for almost 20 years, we don’t know if a CEO position would fit his personality, but it would certainly be a bombshell if it did.
Jonathan Ive
