Tim Cook’s final memo acknowledges Steve Jobs and praises Apple staff as leadership shifts to John Ternus

Apple CEO Tim Cook marked the end of his tenure with a farewell memo that credited company founder Steve Jobs and thanked employees for their work, according to a report published Monday by Yahoo Finance.

The memo, described as Cook’s last message to the company, offered a retrospective on Apple’s culture and priorities, while also recognizing Jobs as the creator of the vision that Apple has carried forward for years. Cook’s message also emphasized the role of Apple’s workforce, praising staff as “extraordinary.”

Cook’s note comes as Apple’s leadership prepares for a transition to John Ternus, who the report characterizes as the incoming chief executive. In the memo, Cook is said to have “passed the baton” to Ternus, indicating continuity in Apple’s executive direction even as the top role changes.

Beyond the founder tribute and staff praise, the reported memo functions as a closing statement of Cook’s priorities and leadership style. The report does not provide additional specifics about new strategy, operational targets, or product plans within the memo itself, focusing instead on acknowledgement and succession.

The transition to a new CEO is likely to place additional attention on how Apple maintains momentum across its hardware and services portfolio, as well as how it manages internal coordination across engineering, product design, and go-to-market execution. Even without detail in the report, Apple’s public identity as a consumer technology brand means investors and customers typically look for continuity in product quality and platform direction when leadership changes.

It also highlights the importance Apple places on its organizational narrative. Jobs is not just a historical figure to Apple, but a shorthand for the company’s emphasis on tightly integrated product experiences. Cook’s decision to name Jobs directly in a farewell message suggests that Apple leadership wants the next era to remain anchored to the founder’s philosophy and the company’s established design culture.

The reported memo also underscores how Apple frames executive stewardship. Cook’s reported choice to emphasize employees as “extraordinary” points to a leadership message centered on collective execution rather than a personal legacy built only around corporate milestones.

What remains unclear from the reporting is whether Cook’s memo included any confidential operational guidance for the incoming CEO, such as internal performance goals, organizational restructuring, or specific timelines for product or services initiatives. The report does not spell out those details, and no additional primary-source excerpts of the memo were included in the information provided.