Timothy D. Cook was born in Alabama on November 1, 1960. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Apple Inc. Cook joined Apple in March 1998 and served as interim CEO in 2004, 2009, and 2011, replacing Steve Jobs while he was undergoing medical treatment.
In 2011, Cook officially assumed the role of CEO. In addition to his responsibilities at Apple, he also serves on the board of directors at Nike.
Tim Cook was raised in Robertsdale, Alabama. His father worked in shipyards and his mother was a homemaker. He earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Auburn University in 1982, and later an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University in 1988.
He began his professional career at IBM, where he worked for 12 years, eventually becoming the Director of North American Fulfillment. After IBM, he served as Chief Operating Officer of the Reseller Division at Intelligent Electronics and then briefly worked at Compaq as Vice President of Corporate Materials before being recruited by Steve Jobs to join Apple.
Cook joined Apple in March 1998 as Senior Vice President for Worldwide Operations. He streamlined the company’s operations, reduced unsold inventory, and increased profit margins, which played a crucial role in Apple’s resurgence.
From 2000 to 2002, he served as Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Operations, and he also oversaw Macintosh hardware engineering and customer service.
In 2004, Cook took over as acting CEO for two months while Jobs recovered from cancer surgery. He stepped into the role again in 2009 for six months during another of Jobs’ medical absences.
Cook was eventually chosen by Steve Jobs as his successor and was appointed CEO in 2011 when Jobs stepped down permanently due to health issues.
Today, Tim Cook is recognized as a key figure in Apple’s continued growth, leading the company through major product launches, global expansion, and increased focus on privacy and sustainability.