Apple COO Jeff Williams to Retire, Sabih Khan Tapped as Successor

Apple is preparing to close a major chapter in its leadership story. Jeff Williams, the company’s long-serving Chief Operating Officer, will step down later this month, officially marking his retirement after nearly three decades of shaping Apple’s most iconic products. Sabih Khan, currently Apple’s senior vice president of operations, has been named as the new COO.

Williams, often seen as Tim Cook’s right-hand man, played a pivotal role in the launch of the iPod, iPhone, and Apple Watch. He also oversaw Apple’s design team in recent years, a responsibility that will now shift directly to CEO Tim Cook after Williams exits. In his retirement announcement, Williams said he looks forward to “more time with friends, family, and a growing roster of grandchildren.”

The leadership shuffle comes during a transformative moment for Apple, as it continues to evolve its hardware strategy while pushing into services, AI, and health tech. Khan, known for quietly steering Apple’s global supply chain and manufacturing operations, will step into the role with big shoes to fill — but his experience behind the scenes has already proven critical to Apple’s global success.