Tim Cook
CEO, Apple
Biography
Timothy Donald Cook is an American business executive who has served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Apple since 2011. He had previously been the company's chief operating officer under its co-founder Steve Jobs. Cook joined Apple in March 1998 as a senior vice president for worldwide operations, and then as vice president for worldwide sales and operations. He was appointed chief executive of Apple on August 24, 2011, after Jobs resigned.
Career Timeline
Timothy Donald Cook (born November 1, 1960) is an American business executive who has served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Apple since 2011.
Cook received a Bachelor of Science with a major in industrial engineering from Auburn University in 1982 and a Master of Business Administration from Duke University in 1988.
During this time, Cook also earned his MBA from Duke University, becoming a Fuqua Scholar in 1988.
In 1998, Steve Jobs asked Cook to join Apple.
Outside of Apple, Cook has sat on the board of directors of Nike since 2005.
In January 2007, Cook was promoted to lead operations and was chief executive in 2009, while Jobs, in failing health, was away on a leave of absence.
During the 2008 election cycle, Cook donated to Barack Obama's first White House election.
Cook has said that in 2009 he offered a portion of his liver to Jobs, as they shared a rare blood type.
Key Achievements
- Grew Apple into the world's first $3 Trillion company
- Successfully launched the Apple Watch and AirPods product lines
- Masterminded Apple's pivot towards high-margin services
Notable Quotes
"You can converge a toaster and refrigerator, but these things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user."
"During the Q & A session after an earnings call (2012-04-24)"
"Cook was asked about converging touch- and mouse-based operating systems into one product, like Microsoft's Windows 8."