Jeff Williams to retire after 27 years at Apple; Sabih Khan named new COO amid executive shifts

Apple is entering a new chapter in its leadership playbook. Jeff Williams, the company’s longtime chief operating officer and one of the most influential figures behind Apple’s product operations, has announced his plans to retire at the end of this year. As part of a planned transition, Apple has appointed Sabih Khan as the next COO, signaling a significant leadership shift as the company looks toward its future.

Williams, who joined Apple in 1998 and became COO in 2015, played a vital role in shaping the company’s operational strategy, building out its global supply chain, and steering key initiatives like Apple Watch and health technologies. Often described internally as Tim Cook’s right hand, he was long considered a potential successor to the CEO.

The transition has reportedly been in the works for months. Apple insiders say Williams’ exit is part of a carefully mapped-out succession plan. During his tenure, he not only fortified Apple’s ability to scale product manufacturing worldwide, but also led collaborative work between hardware, software, and design teams—especially during the rollout of Apple Watch, the company’s first new product line after Steve Jobs’ passing.

Sabih Khan, who has been with Apple since 1995, will now take on one of the company’s most demanding roles. Over the past several years, Khan has led Apple’s global operations organization, managing supplier responsibility programs and expanding manufacturing in countries like India and Vietnam. He has also been deeply involved in Apple’s efforts around sustainability and worker welfare at supplier sites.

CEO Tim Cook praised Khan as a "brilliant strategist" with deep operational expertise, and emphasized that his steady leadership will be key as Apple navigates a more globally complex landscape.

Khan’s promotion comes during a broader wave of change at the executive level. In the past year, Apple has seen several senior leaders depart, including hardware chief Dan Riccio and App Store executive Matt Fischer. Additionally, Apple’s AI division recently took a hit when Meta reportedly lured away Ruoming Pang, who had led Apple’s AI model development team. Pang is expected to join Meta’s Superintelligence Lab, one of several new hubs competing for top AI talent.

As Apple manages these leadership changes, it’s also reevaluating its design and product roadmap. The company recently scaled back parts of its iOS 26 Beta 3 interface in response to mixed feedback from early testers, showing that even as it pushes forward, it’s not afraid to make course corrections.

With Khan stepping into the COO role, Apple is doubling down on its operational strengths while preparing for a future defined by more diversified manufacturing, ambitious environmental goals, and the growing influence of AI. Williams’ retirement marks the end of an era—one that helped shape Apple’s rise to the world’s most valuable company.