Tim Cook, the newly ordained CEO of Apple Inc., wrote a letter to the employees of his company reassuring them that, “Apple is not going to change.” Paying tribute to Steve Jobs, who resigned as CEO late on Wednesday, Mr. Cook emphasized that Mr. Jobs was a mentor to him and the other executives at Apple, and he made a point of saying that he “cherished” Apple’s principles and values.
Apple CEO Tim Cook
The letter, which was obtained by Ars Technica in an exclusive, was sent to employees early on Thursday morning. Mr. Cook was selected as Apple’s new CEO moments after Steve Jobs resigned, all according to the company’s succession plan. Mr. Jobs was also elected to the position of Chairman of the board of directors by the other board members.
The letter:
Team:
I am looking forward to the amazing opportunity of serving as CEO of the most innovative company in the world. Joining Apple was the best decision I’ve ever made and it’s been the privilege of a lifetime to work for Apple and Steve for over 13 years. I share Steve’s optimism for Apple’s bright future.
Steve has been an incredible leader and mentor to me, as well as to the entire executive team and our amazing employees. We are really looking forward to Steve’s ongoing guidance and inspiration as our Chairman.
I want you to be confident that Apple is not going to change. I cherish and celebrate Apple’s unique principles and values. Steve built a company and culture that is unlike any other in the world and we are going to stay true to that—it is in our DNA. We are going to continue to make the best products in the world that delight our customers and make our employees incredibly proud of what they do.
I love Apple and I am looking forward to diving into my new role. All of the incredible support from the Board, the executive team and many of you has been inspiring. I am confident our best years lie ahead of us and that together we will continue to make Apple the magical place that it is.
Tim
Mr. Cook was hired by Steve Jobs from Compaq in 1998 to oversee Apple’s operations (which were a mess at the time). He started at Apple with the title of Senior Vice President for Worldwide Operations, but was promoted to Chief Operations Officer in 2005. Prior to joining Compaq, Mr. Cook spent more than 12 years at IBM.
He filled in as effective CEO in 2004 when Steve Jobs underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer. When Mr. Jobs went on a first medical leave of absence in 2009, Mr. Cook was officially named as temporary CEO by Apple’s board of directors, and he was again serving in that role when Mr. Jobs began a second medical leave of absence in January of 2011. On Wednesday, “temporary” became “permanent” when Mr. Jobs resigned and Mr. Cook was named head honcho.