Just years after wrecking his university's first and only milling machine, John Ternus was intimidated when he first joined Apple and wasn't sure he belonged.
When John Ternus becomes CEO on September 1, 2026, he will have been at Apple for a quarter of a century. Ahead of even the speculation that he would succeed Tim Cook, he gave a speech about how "exhilarating and intimidating" it had felt when he first joined Apple.
"I wasn't sure I belonged there," he told students at the University of Pennsylvania's engineering school in 2024. "The people I met were so smart and so confident, and they knew so much more than me, but I'll always be grateful that I wasn't afraid to ask for help when I needed it."
Ternus told students that his first job at the company was to work on the Apple Cinema Display. He described the work as having been detail-intensive, and involving using "large, complicated clear plastic parts."
"[But every] experience like this sharpened my ability to approach problems from different angles," he continued. "They give me the confidence and willingness to try new things and the resolve to keep going until I find a solution."
Ternus also expressed gratitude for being invited to speak.
"I really appreciate you inviting me back to campus after I nearly destroyed Penn's first and, at the time, only CNC milling machine my senior year," he said.
"I won't repeat the whole story here," he continued, "but let's just say it was dramatic. They called me 'Crash' the rest of that year."
Ternus's engineering background makes a marked contrast to Tim Cook's experience in logistics. Reportedly, it means he's expected to be more decisive over product decisions.
