Apple reshuffles leadership as COO Jeff Williams prepares to retire
Under the new structure, Eddy Cue, Apple’s long-serving Senior Vice President of Services, will assume control of the company’s health and fitness operations.
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Apple is undertaking a major leadership reshuffle as Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams nears retirement, marking one of the company’s most significant internal reorganisations in recent years. According to Bloomberg, the shake-up will affect Apple’s health, fitness, and software divisions, signalling a shift in priorities as the tech giant deepens its focus on wellness and artificial intelligence.
Under the new structure, Eddy Cue, Apple’s long-serving Senior Vice President of Services, will assume control of the company’s health and fitness operations. Meanwhile, Craig Federighi, head of software engineering, will expand his remit to include watchOS, in addition to Siri and visionOS, the operating system that powers Apple’s Vision Pro headset.
Williams’ forthcoming retirement will bring an end to nearly a decade in the COO role, during which he was instrumental in the launch and success of the Apple Watch.
Health and Fitness divisions consolidate under Cue
The Health and Fitness teams — previously led separately by Sumbul Desai and Jay Blahnik — will now merge under Desai’s leadership, with Cue as her direct supervisor. The reorganisation comes as Apple prepares to launch Health+, a new AI-driven subscription service expected in 2026, designed to offer personalised health and wellness recommendations.
Apple already operates Fitness+, a subscription service introduced in 2020 that provides guided workout videos. The upcoming Health+ platform aims to take this further by integrating data on nutrition, sleep, and exercise for a holistic approach to wellbeing.
Federighi and Ternus take on expanded roles
Craig Federighi, known for his dynamic stage presentations, is taking on additional oversight of the Apple Watch software ecosystem. This marks his second expansion of duties in 2025, underscoring his growing influence over Apple’s product experience and ecosystem integration.
On the hardware side, John Ternus, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, will now take full charge of Apple Watch engineering — a product that Williams championed during its early development.
At 50, Ternus is increasingly seen as a potential successor to CEO Tim Cook, who turns 65 next year.
Broader executive changes on the horizon
Apple’s leadership reshuffle may extend beyond these divisions. The company is reportedly seeking a successor for AI chief John Giannandrea, while Lisa Jackson, head of environment, and Johny Srouji, who leads the chip division, are said to be evaluating their futures at Apple.
The changes reflect Apple’s intent to redefine health and AI as major growth frontiers, positioning its wellness initiatives not merely as product features but as substantial revenue streams in the years ahead.
