Apple COO Jeff Williams to step down; design team to report to CEO Tim Cook

Apple COO Jeff Williams to step down; design team to report to CEO Tim Cook

Apple Inc. (AAPL) announced on Tuesday that veteran Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams will transition out of his role later this month, with Sabih Khan set to assume the COO position. Williams, who has been with the company since 1998 and was named COO in 2015, will retire at the end of 2025 [1].

Williams will continue to report to CEO Tim Cook and oversee several departments until his retirement. These include the company’s design team, Apple Watch, and its Health program. Upon Williams' retirement, the design team will begin reporting directly to Cook, as announced by Apple today [2].

Sabih Khan, the tech giant’s VP of operations, will replace Williams as COO. Khan has been with Apple for three decades and has faced significant challenges this year, such as shifting iPhone production to India due to President Trump’s “Liberation Day” plan in April. This move aimed to avoid tariffs and accelerate imports [1].

Williams, 62, has been considered one of the executives who could potentially replace Cook if he retired. Instead, Williams will exit the company at the end of the year. Cook expressed gratitude for Williams' contributions and confidence in Apple's future under Khan's leadership [1].

Apple’s stock price was initially affected by the tariff announcement, dropping from $223 per share to $172 per share in early April. However, the stock price has since rebounded, closing Tuesday at $210 per share [1].

References:
[1] https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/apple-coo-jeff-williams-exit-230500616.html
[2] https://9to5mac.com/2025/07/08/apple-design-team-tim-cook/