Apple COO Jeff Williams to retire after 27 years; Sabih Khan named takes helm
Apple Inc. announced a major leadership transition on Tuesday as Jeff Williams, the company’s long-serving Chief Operating Officer, will retire later this month after 27 years with the tech giant. Sabih Khan, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Operations, has been named as his successor, effective immediately.
Williams, 62, cited a desire to "spend more time with friends and family" as the reason for his retirement. He will continue to report to CEO Tim Cook until his departure and will remain involved in overseeing the company’s design team, Apple Watch, and health initiatives. Once Williams officially steps down, Apple’s design team will report directly to Cook, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
“June marked my 27th anniversary with Apple, and my 40th in the industry,” Williams said in a statement. “I’m immensely proud of what we’ve accomplished and look forward to this next chapter in my life.”
Williams played a pivotal role in Apple’s rise over the past two decades. He helped develop and scale iconic products such as the iPod, iPhone, and Apple Watch. Following the departure of former Chief Design Officer Jony Ive in 2019, Williams also took the helm of Apple’s industrial design team—an unusual move for a COO.
Tim Cook praised Williams’ legacy, calling him “one of the key architects of Apple’s modern era.”
“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,” Cook said.
Sabih Khan, who has been with Apple since 1995 and joined the executive team as SVP in 2019, will now take full responsibility for Apple’s global supply chain, product quality, planning, procurement, and fulfillment.
Khan started his career at GE Plastics as an engineer and technical leader before moving to Apple’s procurement division. Over the years, he has been instrumental in shaping Apple’s efficient and scalable manufacturing and supply operations.
The leadership shift comes at a time when Apple continues to expand its reach in wearables, health tech, and international markets—all areas influenced heavily by Williams' tenure.
Williams’ retirement marks the end of an era at Apple, as yet another key executive from the Steve Jobs–Tim Cook transition era prepares to exit the company.
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