Apple announces a change at the top of the company

Apple announced today that Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jeff Williams will be turning over his COO duties later this month to Sabih Khan, who currently is Apple’s senior vice president of Operations. This is part of what Apple calls “a long-planned succession.” Williams will continue reporting to CEO Tim Cook and will still run Apple’s design team and Apple Watch. He also will remain in charge of the company’s health initiatives. Later this year, Williams will leave Apple.

Khan, replacing Williams as COO, has worked at Apple for 30 years. In 2019, he received a key to the executive washroom after being named senior vice president of Operations. For the last six years, Khan has had a very important job at Apple, running the company’s supply chain. In that role, Apple says he was “ensuring product quality and overseeing planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, and product fulfillment functions, as well as Apple’s supplier responsibility programs that protect and educate workers at production facilities around the world.”

“Sabih is a brilliant strategist who has been one of the central architects of Apple’s supply chain. While overseeing Apple’s supply chain, he has helped pioneer new technologies in advanced manufacturing, overseen the expansion of Apple’s manufacturing footprint in the United States, and helped ensure that Apple can be nimble in response to global challenges. He has advanced our ambitious efforts in environmental sustainability, helping reduce Apple’s carbon footprint by more than 60 percent. Above all, Sabih leads with his heart and his values, and I know he will make an exceptional chief operating officer.”

–Tim Cook, Apple CEO

Williams has had quite a career at Apple, building a supply chain that supported the company’s growth into new products and markets that Apple hadn’t been involved with before. He had key roles in the launch of the iPod and the iPhone. He also played a vital part in bringing the Apple Watch to the marketplace. He developed the company’s health care strategies that helped Apple customers stay healthy and also led Apple’s design team over the last several years.

The departing executive says that not only has he worked at Apple for 27 years, but that is the same time that he worked with his successor. He has nothing but praise for Khan, calling him “the most talented operations executive on the planet.” He adds that he has “tremendous confidence in Apple’s future” with Khan as COO.

Williams said, “I have a deep love for Apple. Working with all of the amazing people at this company has been a privilege of a lifetime, and I can’t thank Tim enough for the opportunity, his inspirational leadership, and our friendship over the years.” Of Jeff Williams, Tim Cook said, “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.”

“He’s helped to create one of the most respected global supply chains in the world; launched Apple Watch and overseen its development; architected Apple’s health strategy; and led our world-class team of designers with great wisdom, heart, and dedication. I am and will always be beyond grateful for his numerous contributions to Apple over the years and his loyal friendship. 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,” Cook continued.