Apple is navigating one of its most unsettled leadership periods in years, and at the centre of the uncertainty is Johny Srouji — a figure widely respected in Silicon Valley yet largely unknown to the public. Reports suggest that Srouji, Apple’s senior vice-president of hardware technologies and the force behind the company’s custom silicon, is seriously evaluating his future at the company. The possibility of his departure has raised significant concern internally, especially as Apple faces increasing competitive pressure and ongoing talent loss.
Srouji, who joined Apple in 2008, is credited with transforming the company’s approach to hardware through its in-house chip strategy. His leadership enabled Apple to move away from external processors and build its own silicon — a shift that redefined performance benchmarks across the industry. The M-series chips powering today’s Macs are widely viewed as one of Apple’s most important technological achievements. Within the organisation, Srouji is seen as a steady, highly disciplined leader whose work forms the foundation of Apple’s product ecosystem.
According to Bloomberg, Srouji has informed Tim Cook that he is “seriously considering stepping down.” The report also notes that he has suggested privately that he would join another company if he chooses to leave. This potential exit comes at a time when Apple is already facing intensified competition for elite engineering talent. Rivals such as Meta and OpenAI have been aggressively recruiting Apple’s silicon and AI engineers, creating additional pressure on Apple’s internal teams.
Cook is reportedly taking significant steps to retain Srouji, fully aware of how critical he is to the company’s long-term hardware roadmap. Bloomberg notes that the retention discussions may involve enhanced compensation and expanded responsibilities. One proposal being discussed internally would promote Srouji to chief technology officer, placing him directly below the CEO and giving him broader oversight across both hardware engineering and silicon development. Such a move, however, could require elevating John Ternus — Apple’s hardware engineering chief and a leading contender to eventually succeed Cook — to the role of CEO.
If Srouji does decide to leave, Apple is expected to look to internal leaders for continuity. His top deputies, Zongjian Chen and Sribalan Santhanam, are seen as the strongest candidates. While both have deep expertise within Apple’s silicon organisation, neither matches Srouji’s strategic influence or long-term impact on the company’s hardware vision.
Even if Srouji remains, the situation underscores broader instability within Apple. The company has been coping with a series of high-profile departures, increasing pressure to accelerate its AI capabilities and internal concerns about relying on external AI models. Morale across teams has reportedly dipped, reflecting deeper uncertainty about Apple’s future direction.
Ultimately, the conversation around Srouji’s potential exit raises a larger question: how Apple will regain momentum and reinforce its leadership at a time when the industry is being reshaped by rapid advances in AI and hardware innovation.
