Tim Cook’s emotional farewell message as Apple CEO:’I know it is all because of you,’ he shared; read the full memo here

Tim Cook has stepped down as Apple CEO after 15 years at the helm. In his final message to employees, Cook thanked his team, reflected on his journey, and welcomed John Ternus as Apple’s new CEO. After 15 years of leading Apple, Tim Cook has officially stepped down as the company’s CEO. Cook, who took over from Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in 2011, is now handing over the day-to-day running of the company to John Ternus. However, this is not the end of Cook’s journey at Apple. At 65, he will continue with the company as executive chairman. On his final day as CEO, Cook sent an emotional message to Apple employees. In the memo, he looked back at his time leading the company, thanked employees for their support and spoke about the future of Apple under Ternus. Tim Cook says Apple CEO role was ‘the privilege of a lifetime’ Cook described his time as Apple CEO as one of the biggest privileges of his life. He also made it clear that he believes much of his success came from the people he worked with. “You have brought out the best in me,” Cook wrote, praising Apple employees for creating what he described as an extraordinary team. Cook also reflected on Apple’s culture and its focus on creating products and services that can make a difference in people’s lives. Cook remembers Steve Jobs and his ‘dent in the universe’ In his farewell memo, Cook also referred to a well-known phrase used by Steve Jobs about making a “dent in the universe”. Cook said Apple had continued to live up to that idea through its work, values and the way its employees see the world. He said Apple’s achievements were not the result of one person but came from employees working together and bringing out the best in one another. John Ternus takes over as Apple CEO While Cook is stepping away from the CEO role, Apple is not losing him completely. He will become executive chairman and continue to play a role at the company. John Ternus will take over as CEO and handle Apple’s day-to-day operations. Cook expressed confidence in his successor, describing Ternus as “brilliant”, “wonderful” and “capable”. He also said he was excited to see Ternus lead Apple into its next chapter. Also read: Tim Cook’s 15-year Apple CEO stint comes to an end: From supply-chain expert to tech giant’s longtime leader, is he completely leaving?

Tim Cook’s 15 years at Apple Cook became Apple CEO in August 2011, shortly before Steve Jobs died. He had already spent years at Apple before becoming CEO and has now been with the company for nearly three decades. During his time as CEO, Apple introduced major products such as the Apple Watch and AirPods, while continuing to expand its iPhone, iPad and Mac businesses. Cook also pushed Apple to rely less on hardware alone. Services such as the App Store, Apple Music and Apple Pay became increasingly important parts of the company’s business. Under Cook, Apple also grew into one of the world’s most valuable companies. Its market value crossed $4.5 trillion on Monday, compared with around $350 billion when Cook became CEO in 2011. Read below Tim Cook’s full farewell memo to Apple employees: