Apple Inc. has announced that longtime Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jeff Williams will step down later this month and retire by the end of 2025. The 61-year-old executive has been with the company since 1998, joining just after the launch of the iMac and becoming COO in 2015, replacing Tim Cook in the role. Williams was instrumental in managing Apple’s global operations and played a pivotal role in developing the Apple Watch and launching Apple’s health technologies.
Jeff Williams’s impact is not just strategic—he helped scale Apple’s operations during its most explosive growth phase. Under his tenure as COO, Apple’s revenue grew from around $234 billion in 2015 to over $400 billion in 2024, according to company filings. He also managed key transitions such as Apple’s move into health, fitness, and wearable technology.
Jeff Williams said in a statement to employees, “It’s been a privilege to work alongside the best team in the world. I’m immensely proud of what we’ve built together.” According to Apple, Williams will remain involved through the transition and continue reporting to CEO Tim Cook until his formal retirement.
Sabih Khan: The Quiet Powerhouse Takes the Helm
Sabih Khan, Apple’s current Senior Vice President of Operations, will assume the role of COO, marking one of the most significant internal promotions in recent years. Khan, who joined Apple in 1995, has overseen global supply chain logistics since 2019 and helped Apple navigate critical disruptions, including the COVID-19 pandemic and U.S.-China trade tensions.
Khan, born in India and educated at Tufts and Cornell, has a reputation for operational excellence. In recent years, he’s led Apple’s efforts to diversify manufacturing out of China, increasing production capabilities in India and Vietnam. In 2024 alone, Apple shifted over 25% of iPhone manufacturing to India and Southeast Asia, part of a broader geopolitical strategy to reduce overreliance on Chinese suppliers.
He also led sustainability initiatives that helped Apple cut its carbon emissions by 60% over the last five years and move towards a 100% recycled materials goal for all major product lines by 2030. According to CEO Tim Cook, Khan is “a world-class operations leader” who has proven his ability to guide Apple through uncertain supply landscapes and climate-focused reforms.
Strategic Stability in a Volatile Global Market
Apple’s decision comes as tech giants are recalibrating for geopolitical volatility, shifting supply chains, and AI-driven market dynamics. With Apple’s stock up 18% year-to-date and its market cap hovering around $3.25 trillion, investor response to the transition has remained positive. Analysts view the change as a well-managed succession, with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman calling it “a passing of the torch, not a disruption.”
Jeff Williams’s retirement also signals a broader leadership reshuffle at Apple. CFO Luca Maestri is expected to retire within the next year, and Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering John Ternus is seen as a potential future CEO candidate. These shifts indicate Apple’s evolving approach toward generational change while maintaining its core philosophy of internal succession.
Meanwhile, Khan’s appointment sends a strong message about Apple’s direction: reinforcing operational resilience, focusing on sustainability, and expanding into new manufacturing regions. As Apple continues to expand its AI capabilities and grow its services division—now contributing over $120 billion in annual revenue—Khan’s role will be crucial in translating vision into execution.
Jeff Williams’s retirement marks the end of an era for Apple’s operational command. Yet, with Sabih Khan’s appointment, the company doubles its commitment to meticulous execution, environmental responsibility, and global adaptability—key pillars that will define the tech giant’s next chapter.
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Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/08/technology/jeff-williams-apple-retiring.html
https://finance.yahoo.com/video/apple-names-coo-jeff-williams-210602102.html
