Tim Cook’s Farewell Letter to Apple Employees
▼ Summary
– Tim Cook has started his mornings for 15 years by reading emails from Apple users worldwide, which share personal stories about their experiences with Apple products.
– He expresses deep gratitude for the privilege of leading Apple and acknowledges a profound obligation to the community that these emails reinforce.
– Cook announced he will transition from CEO to Apple’s executive chairman in September, marking a significant change in his role at the company.
– John Ternus, a longtime Apple engineer focused on product detail and improvement, will become the new CEO, described as the perfect person for the role.
– In a personal thank you, Cook reflects on his journey and expresses appreciation for the community’s confidence and for making his role as CEO so rewarding.
For fifteen years, my mornings have followed a familiar rhythm. I begin by opening my email to read messages from Apple users across the globe. These notes are windows into your lives, sharing stories of how our technology has made a difference. You tell me about a parent whose Apple Watch provided a lifesaving alert, or about capturing a perfect photo on a distant mountaintop. You express gratitude for how a Mac has transformed your work, and you also offer candid feedback when something isn’t meeting your expectations.
Each message reinforces a profound connection. I feel the pulse of our shared experience and a growing responsibility to push our work further. Above all, I am filled with an inexpressible gratitude for the privilege of leading a company that sparks creativity and touches lives in such meaningful ways. It has been the honor of a lifetime.
Today marks a personal transition. I have announced that I will be stepping into a new role later this year. In September, I will conclude my time as CEO and assume the position of Apple’s executive chairman. Stepping into what I believe is the world’s best job will be John Ternus. For 25 years, John has been instrumental in building the products you love. He is a brilliant engineer with an obsessive focus on detail and a relentless drive to make everything we do better, more beautiful, and more impactful. He is perfectly suited to guide Apple’s future.
John embodies the core of who we are. He deeply understands our mission, our products, and the people we serve. His integrity and character make him an exceptional leader. I have immense confidence in him as our next CEO and know Apple will achieve remarkable new heights under his guidance. You will feel his influence in the joy and innovation of everything we create moving forward.
This is not a farewell, but it is a moment to express my personal thanks. Beyond the gratitude felt within our company, I want to say thank you simply as Tim. I am someone from a different time and a rural background who was granted the extraordinary opportunity to lead this incredible company. Thank you for your trust and kindness, for the greetings in our stores and on the street, and for celebrating alongside me at our product launches. Most importantly, thank you for believing in me to lead a company that has always placed you at the center of its universe. Our daily goal has been to make your life a little better, and in return, you have made mine richer than I ever imagined.
(Source: The Verge)
