Apple COO Jeff Williams to Retire, Sabih Khan Named Successor

Apple has announced that Jeff Williams will step down as chief operating officer, with Sabih Khan, the company's senior vice president of Operations, set to take over the role. The change, which Apple described as part of a long-planned succession, will take effect later this month.

Williams will continue reporting to CEO Tim Cook, overseeing Apple's design team and the company's Health initiatives. The design team will then transition to reporting directly to Cook when Williams retires later this year. "Jeff and I have worked alongside each other for as long as I can remember, and Apple wouldn't be what it is without him," said Cook in the announcement. "Jeff's true legacy can be seen in the amazing team he's created and, while he'll be greatly missed, he leaves the work of the future in incredible hands."




After 27 years with the company and 40 years in the industry, Williams said he plans to spend more time with his family. He played a key role in the introduction of the iPod and iPhone, led the development of the Apple Watch, and helped shape the company's health strategy, including an AI-powered revamp of the Health app that was reportedly overseen by him. "I have a deep love for Apple," Williams said. "Working with all of the amazing people at this company has been a privilege of a lifetime."

Sabih Khan, who has been with Apple for 30 years, will now step into the COO role. He has led Apple's global supply chain for the past six years, overseeing product quality, manufacturing, and logistics. Cook praised Khan's role in advancing the company's environmental efforts, helping reduce Apple's carbon footprint by more than 60 percent and partnering with suppliers to propel green manufacturing. "Sabih is a brilliant strategist who has been one of the central architects of Apple's supply chain," Cook stated. "I know he will make an exceptional chief operating officer." Khan holds bachelor's degrees in economics and mechanical engineering from Tufts University and a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

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