Fuqua grad replaces Jobs as CEO of Apple

Aug 25 2011, Written by Melissa Dalis in News, 0 Comments

Tim Cook, Fuqua ’88 and former chief operating officer of Apple, will replace Steve Jobs, who resigned yesterday, as chief executive officer of Apple Inc.

“As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple,” Jobs wrote in his resignation letter addressed to Apple’s board and the “Apple Community.”

In his previous position of COO, Cook led Apple’s sales and operations around the world as well as the entire Macintosh division according to Apple’s official press release.

Since 2007 Cook taken over twice when Jobs has taken medical leaves.

“The Board has complete confidence that Tim is the right person to be our next CEO,” said Art Levinson, Chairman of Genentech, on behalf of Apple’s Board in the press release. “Tim’s 13 years of service to Apple have been marked by outstanding performance, and he has demonstrated remarkable talent and sound judgment in everything he does.”

Cook earned his M.B.A. from the Fuqua School of Business as a Fuqua Scholar following his undergraduate career in industrial engineering at Auburn University.