Incoming Apple CEO John Ternus Brings a Retired Hardware VP Back to Apple

A Familiar Face Returns

John Ternus has not taken over as Apple's CEO yet, but he is already putting his own team in place.

People with knowledge of the matter say Ternus has brought Laura Legros back to Apple. Before stepping down in 2022, Legros held the role of vice president of hardware engineering at Apple.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because the move has not been announced. A spokesperson for Apple declined to comment.

She will work as a vice president across Apple's different divisions.

Apple's senior leadership is in the middle of a significant transition. Ternus takes over on Sept. 1, Cook becomes executive chairman, and several veterans are expected to retire around the same time. Legros's return gives the incoming CEO a lieutenant who already knows Apple's engineering organization and product processes.

This return is an early signal of how Ternus wants to shape Apple's executive team. Apple seldom brings back former executives, making the move notable.

Legros spent most of her Apple career in hardware engineering, a critical area for the company as it develops new Macs, iPads and other devices. Her return gives Ternus someone who understands both the technical details and the internal processes that keep product launches on schedule.

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Product Experience That Ternus Trusts

At Apple, Legros oversaw product delivery, schedule management and coordination across engineering groups so teams stayed in sync. She became one of Ternus's most trusted deputies before stepping away.

In 2018, she appeared at an Apple launch event to present the latest MacBook Air. Two years later, she showed off the current iPad Air design.

A Leadership Shake-Up Takes Shape

Ternus will take over from Tim Cook, Apple's longest-serving CEO, who is moving to executive chairman.

Ternus has spent several months working next to Cook, sitting in on executive meetings, meeting company leaders, and joining roadmap reviews across several divisions.

Apple's design teams have also seen a lot more of him since late last year. Bloomberg News has reported that he wants to shake up Apple's design organization.

The timing gives Ternus a chance to build relationships with senior managers before Cook moves to the chairman role.

More Retirements Are on the Way

Kate Adams, Apple's former general counsel who now heads government affairs, has announced that she will leave Apple when this year closes. Jennifer Newstead, the new general counsel, will take over Adams's current duties.

Luca Maestri, Apple's ex-CFO now in charge of property and IT, and Phil Schiller, who was marketing chief until 2020 and now leads the App Store, are likewise approaching retirement from Apple.

What It Means for Apple

Ternus will take charge at a time when Apple is reshaping its senior leadership. Legros's return is one of the first visible signs of how he intends to build his team. She also brings continuity to the hardware organization just as several veteran managers are expected to exit.

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