Leadership Turmoil at Apple: Johny Srouji Contemplates Departure
Apple Inc. faces another potential upheaval in its executive hierarchy, as Johny Srouji, the veteran head of hardware technologies, has indicated to CEO Tim Cook that he is considering resigning, according to insiders.
This news, reported by Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman, adds to the tumultuous atmosphere within the organization.
Srouji, instrumental in orchestrating Apple’s chip development and the custom silicon strategy, has reportedly signaled internally a willingness to pursue opportunities elsewhere should he decide to exit. This announcement comes amid a broader trend of resignations and retirements plaguing the tech giant’s senior ranks.
This precarious situation intensifies the pressure on Cook, who is actively attempting to persuade Srouji to stay, having offered a substantial pay increase and discussions aimed at granting him enhanced responsibilities.
One proposal reportedly under consideration is the establishment of a chief technology officer role, which would expand Srouji’s influence across both hardware engineering and chip development.
Should Srouji ultimately part ways with the company, Apple is likely to promote from within its ranks. Zongjian Chen and Sribalan Santhanam, two of Srouji’s trusted deputies, are regarded as the front-runners for succession, according to Gurman’s insights.
The company has been grappling with an exodus of talent within its engineering division, as employees transition to competing firms like Meta and OpenAI, particularly in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence.
This week has already been a whirlwind of announcements, and Srouji’s potential departure adds fuel to the frenzy.
Furthermore, Gurman disclosed over the weekend that Cheng Chen, a senior executive responsible for displays and optics in the Vision Pro and other screen technologies, is departing for OpenAI’s hardware division—a notable loss for Apple.
Recent Executive Departures at Apple: A Timeline
- Jeff Williams — Retired last month (Chief Operating Officer)
- Luca Maestri — Transitioned to a diminished role early 2025; retirement imminent (Chief Financial Officer)
- John Giannandrea — Exited this spring (Head of AI)
- Alan Dye — Announced departure this week (Head of Interface Design)
- Kate Adams — Scheduled retirement for late 2026 (General Counsel)
- Lisa Jackson — Declared retirement this week (VP, Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives)
- Robby Walker — Departed October 2025 (Siri and AI initiative lead)
- Ke Yang — Left weeks after appointment in October 2025 (Siri/AI senior leader)
- Ruoming Pang — Departed 2025 (AI Models Chief)
- Tom Gunter — Exited 2025 (AI engineering leader)
- Frank Chu — Departed 2025 (AI engineering leader)
- Jian Zhang — Left 2025 (Head of AI Robotics Software)
- Billy Sorrentino — Departed 2025 (Interface design leader under Dye)
- Stephen Lemay — Not a departure (promoted to succeed Dye)
- Cheng Chen — Leaving 2025 (Senior Director, Display Technologies)
- Tang Tan — Exited two years ago from 2025 reference point (Top hardware engineering executive)
- Abidur Chowdhury — Departed 2025 (Narrator of iPhone Air launch; rising hardware leader)
- Richard Locke — Departed summer 2025 (Dean of Apple University)
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