Tim Cook to receive $47 million in new Apple role

It has been revealed that the financial compensation for Tim Cook, who led Apple for 15 years and stepped down as CEO on September 1, will be nearly comparable to that of his successor, John Ternus. According to data from Bloomberg, in his new role as Executive Chair of the Board, Tim Cook will receive a target compensation of approximately $47 million for the 2027 fiscal year. This was reported by Ixbt.com .

According to official documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), John Ternus officially assumed the role of Apple CEO on September 1, 2026. These documents disclose the future compensation structure for both executives, indicating that Ternus's total target compensation will be approximately $58 million. This sum includes a $3 million base annual salary, with the remaining $55 million in stock awards. Additionally, he received a one-time stock grant of $2.5 million for the partial 2026 fiscal year.

Tim Cook's new status and income

In turn, Tim Cook's base salary in his new executive role will be reduced from $3 million to $2 million. However, with the addition of a $45 million target stock package, his total compensation for 2027 is expected to reach $47 million. For comparison, Cook earned $74.3 million as CEO in 2025.

Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman noted that such a large financial package for Tim Cook is unexpectedly high, even for a giant company like Apple. For instance, the former Chairman of the Board, Art Levinson, received less than $560,000 last year because he did not perform executive functions. Cook's high income is explained by his continued active involvement in management.

Management changes and strategic tasks

Experts believe that such a massive financial package indicates that Tim Cook has not completely stepped away from the operational agenda. According to Mark Gurman, he will continue to manage critical areas for the company, such as relations with the U.S. and Chinese governments, as well as memory chip supply chains. Cook will vacate his office at Apple Park for the new CEO and move to a different workspace.

At the same time, new CEO John Ternus will begin restructuring the company based on his own vision. According to Bloomberg, he intends to accelerate the product development process, though significant changes to corporate culture and structure may take time. In a message to employees, Tim Cook emphasized that he intends to remain in the role of Chair for the long term and that Apple will remain his primary priority.