Apple names Israeli Johny Srouji Chief Hardware Officer amid CEO succession
The move consolidates engineering teams and positions the longtime executive just below incoming chief John Ternus.
With a change at the top of Apple’s leadership, the company’s most senior Israeli executive, Johny Srouji, is set to receive a significant promotion, taking on the role of chief hardware officer. In this position, Srouji will oversee hardware engineering for the iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad.
Apple announced that CEO Tim Cook will step down on September 1, transitioning to an active role as executive chairman. He will be succeeded by John Ternus, currently head of hardware engineering. As part of the transition, Srouji will effectively step into Ternus’s previous role, expanded to include broader oversight of Apple’s hardware products alongside his existing responsibility for chip engineering.
“Johny is one of the most talented people I have ever had the privilege to work with,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. “He has played a singular role in driving Apple’s silicon strategy, and his influence has been felt deeply not just inside the company, but across the industry. He has always led his organization with remarkable deftness and judgment, and time and again, his team has delivered breakthrough innovations that have transformed our products. We are incredibly fortunate to have him as Apple’s chief hardware officer.”
“Johny has been an incredible partner on the executive team, and is going to be an extraordinary chief hardware officer,” said incoming Apple CEO John Ternus. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with him in our new roles.”
In a message to employees, Srouji wrote: “As part of the transition, I have been asked to take on the role of chief hardware officer and combine the hardware technologies and hardware engineering teams into one organization. I am excited to bring these teams together and deepen their integration to help us innovate even more than we do today. There is no limit to what we can achieve together.”
The merger of these teams effectively reverses a division introduced in 2012 following the departure of former executive Bob Mansfield. At the time, Srouji and Ternus were placed in charge of the two separate units. The new structure simplifies Apple’s organization and places Srouji at the head of a group numbering in the thousands, with direct responsibility for all of the company’s hardware products.
In his current role as senior vice president of hardware technologies, Srouji has led Apple’s chip development efforts, including some of the company’s most consequential strategic moves. These include the development of custom chips for the iPhone and the transition from Intel processors to Apple-designed silicon across its Mac lineup. He has also overseen advancements in batteries, cameras, storage, sensors, displays, and cellular modems.
Before joining Apple, Srouji held senior chip development roles at Intel and IBM. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science from the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology.
The move effectively positions Srouji as second-in-command under the incoming CEO. It marks a significant vote of confidence in his leadership and highlights Apple’s desire to ensure continuity and stability during the transition. It may also reflect his status as a potential contender for the top role, with the expanded position serving to secure his long-term place at the company following Ternus’s appointment.
