Apple has announced a leadership transition, with Jeff Williams, the company’s long-serving chief operating officer, stepping down from his role later this month. Sabih Khan, currently Apple’s senior vice president of Operations, will now assume the position of COO. Williams is slated to formally retire from the company by the end of the current year. This transition comes at a time when Apple is facing pressure to move more and more of its production to the US (and the Trump administration’s tariffs are making things harder), while the final quarter of the previous year showed a drop of 5% in iPhone sales.
Williams had began on his journey with Apple in 1998. He climbed steadily within the company, ultimately reaching the position of Chief Operating Officer in 2015. Before his career at Apple, Williams spent thirteen years at IBM across various operations and engineering functions. After being the COO at the Cupertino-headquartered tech titan, Williams bore responsibility for overseeing Appleās overall global operations, encompassing its vast supply chain, customer service, and support infrastructure.
His leadership also extended to Appleās design team, as well as the intricate software and hardware engineering initiatives for the Apple Watch (which was launched during his tenure) and the companyās broader health-focused endeavors (which he will continue to oversee).
āJeff and I have worked alongside each other for as long as I can remember, and Apple wouldnāt be what it is without him. Heās helped to create one of the most respected global supply chains in the world; launched Apple Watch and overseen its development; architected Appleās health strategy; and led our world class team of designers with great wisdom, heart, and dedication,ā Apple CEO Tim Cook announced in an official statement. āI am and will always be beyond grateful for his numerous contributions to Apple over the years and his loyal friendship. Jeffās true legacy can be seen in the amazing team heās created and, while heāll be greatly missed, he leaves the work of the future in incredible hands.ā
Sabih Khan, an executive of Indian origin, brings three decades of experience within Apple to his new role. Sex years ago, he had been the Senior VP of Operations at the company, and the architect of Appleās global supply chain. His previous responsibilities encompassed ensuring the quality of products, and overseeing the critical functions of planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, and product fulfillment. Additionally, Khan has been a driving force behind Appleās supplier responsibility programs, initiatives designed to safeguard and empower workers within the companyās worldwide production facilities.
Khan was born in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, in 1966; he spent part of his childhood schooling in Singapore before moving to the US for his university studies. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and mechanical engineering from Tufts University and furthered his studies with a masterās degree in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Before becoming part of Appleās procurement team in 1995, Khan worked at GE Plastics as an applications development engineer and a primary technical contact for key accounts.
Cook lauded Khan as a “brilliant strategist” and one of the “central architects” of Appleās supply chain. He credited Khan with pioneering manufacturing tech, expanding Appleās manufacturing presence in the US, and ensuring the company’s operational flexibility in response to evolving global challenges. Furthermore, Cook acknowledged Khan’s contributions to Appleās environmental sustainability objectives, noting his role in helping to reduce the company’s carbon footprint by over 60%.
