Apple’s veteran Operations Director Jeff Williams will deliver the position to his replacement Sabih Khan later this month, marking a major transition to the iPhone manufacturer.
Williams is taking this step as part of a “succession planned for a long time,” Apple said in a statement on Tuesday. He will continue to respond to CEO Tim Cook and supervising the company’s design team, as well as managing health initiatives. The design group will start responding directly to Cook after Williams’s retirement, scheduled for the end of 2025, Apple said.
Williams, who is in his 60s, is credited with helping to build Apple’s legendary supply chain. He joined the company in 1998 and took office in 2015. Previously, he worked at the International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) Since the 1980s.
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Khan, a 30-year-old veteran at Apple, joined the executive team as senior vice president of operations in 2019. At that time, he assumed the management of the supply chain, including purchases and manufacturing.
“Jeff’s true legacy can be seen in the amazing team he created and, although he is sorely missed, leaves the future work in amazing hands,” Cook said in the statement.
Williams was not seen as a probable cook successor in CEO position, in part because he is similar. John Ternus, head of hardware engineering, is one of the leading candidates for the post, according to Bloomberg News report.
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