Apple COO Jeff Williams will retire by the end of the year

Apple’s chief operating officer (COO), Jeff Williams, will quit his job to enjoy retirement by the end of the year. He plans to spend more time with friends and family.

According to Apple, Williams’ retirement plans have been in the works for quite some time. He will transition his role of chief operating officer later this month to Sabih Khan, Apple’s senior vice president of operations.

Williams will leave the company by the end of the year. Until then, he will continue to report to Apple’s chief executive officer (CEO), Tim Cook, and oversee Apple’s design team and Apple Watch alongside the company’s health initiatives.

Cook praises Williams’ contributions to Apple.

“Jeff and I have worked alongside each other for as long as I can remember, and Apple wouldn’t be what it is without him. He’s helped to create one of the most respected global supply chains in the world. I am and will always be beyond grateful for his numerous contributions to Apple over the years and his loyal friendship,” he said in a press release.

Sabih Khan, Williams’ successor as COO, has been around for 30 years and joined the executive team as senior vice president of operations in 2019. He has been in charge of Apple’s global supply chain for the past six years, as well as Apple’s supplier responsibility programs that protect and educate workers at production facilities around the world.

“Sabih is a brilliant strategist who has been one of the central architects of Apple’s supply chain. He has advanced our ambitious efforts in environmental sustainability, helping reduce Apple’s carbon footprint by more than 60 percent. Above all, Sabih leads with his heart and his values, and I know he will make an exceptional chief operating officer,” Tim Cook said.

Williams joined Apple in 1998. In 2004, he was promoted to vice president of operations. He has held his current position as COO since 2015. When he officially retires, he intends to spend more time with his friends and family, including five grandchildren.

Williams has the utmost confidence in his successor. “I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Sabih for 27 years, and I think he’s the most talented operations executive on the planet. I have tremendous confidence in Apple’s future under his leadership in this role,” he said.