Tim Cook message to Apple's new CEO: Don't imitate me
(Dan Tri) - After leaving the position of Apple CEO, Tim Cook said he has no intention of interfering with the way John Ternus runs the company. The most important advice he gave his successor was: "Don't imitate me."
More than a month after officially transferring the position of Apple CEO to John Ternus, Tim Cook for the first time shared details about how he sees his new role as well as the relationship with his successor.
In an interview with The Independent, the former Apple CEO said the transition process is going according to the plan that he and the company's leadership prepared many years ago.
“We really want to have the best transition possible, an exemplary example that people can look back on and learn from,” Cook said.
John Ternus officially takes over as Apple CEO from September 1, 2026, while Tim Cook moves to the role of Executive Chairman (Photo: Apple).
According to him, the succession process is not a decision made in a short time but started many years ago.
Apple officially announced its leadership change plan in April. Accordingly, John Ternus, then Senior Vice President in charge of Hardware Engineering, took over the position of CEO from September 1, 2026. Tim Cook moves to the position of Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors.
“Don't imitate me”
One of Cook's most notable pieces of advice for his successor is to not try to be another version of himself.
Cook believes that Ternus needs to shape the CEO position in its own way, based on its own strengths, experience and leadership style.
“Don't imitate me,” Cook said when it came to advice for Ternus.
Tim Cook's advice for his successor is to build his own leadership style instead of trying to "imitate" him (Illustration: Getty).
This perspective recalls Cook's own experience when taking over Apple from Steve Jobs in 2011. At that time, Jobs also emphasized that Cook should not ask himself what Steve Jobs would do in each situation, but must make his own decisions.
Cook said he wasn't trying to be Steve Jobs, and Ternus shouldn't seek to be Tim Cook either.
This approach reflects part of the succession philosophy at Apple: maintain core values but do not force the new leader to copy the style of his predecessor.
Tim Cook: "I'm not a person who likes to interfere"
The fact that Tim Cook still holds the position of Executive Chairman after leaving the CEO position has raised questions about the level of influence he has on Apple's daily operations.
In a new interview, Cook sought to clarify this.
He said he and John Ternus have “an incredible level of trust” in each other. The two regularly communicate and maintain close contact, but that does not mean Cook is involved in running the company.
"I don't interfere. I'm not a person who likes to interfere," Cook said.
Tim Cook said he did not want to interfere with how John Ternus runs Apple after leaving the CEO position (Photo: MSN).
Instead, much of his current work focuses on global policy issues and government relations in many countries.
Cook said that this is an increasingly important area for Apple, as the company has to deal with a series of issues related to technology regulation, supply chain, privacy, competition and trade policy.
Apple also confirmed when announcing its succession plan that Cook, as Executive Chairman, will continue to support a number of areas of the company, including working with policymakers around the world.
Proactively step back so the successor can have "momentum"
Another detail revealed by Cook is that the timing of the transfer of the CEO position has been carefully considered.
Ternus officially took over Apple from September 1, right before an important product cycle for the company.
Tim Cook said the transition of power at Apple has been prepared for many years to create a favorable foundation for John Ternus (Photo: Apple).
According to Cook, he wants his successor to have "favorable momentum" right from the first days of management.
Apple is an enterprise whose business activities are closely tied to the product launch cycle. Ternus' takeover ahead of a major product cycle also puts the new CEO at the center of Apple's next phase.
Cook said so far the transition is going almost exactly as he envisioned.
He is still willing to support Ternus when requested, but emphasized that the new CEO is the one who makes executive decisions.
The message "don't imitate me" is therefore not just personal advice, but also shows how Tim Cook wants to leave the CEO position: still present to support Apple when needed, but leave enough space for the successor to truly become the company's new leader.