Change your CEO, Tim Cook has operational expertise, but Apple needs a CEO who can …, say analysts in investor note

Analysts at LightShed Partners said that Apple may need a leadership change to better focus on product innovation, especially in the area of artificial intelligence (AI), reports MarketWatch. In a note published on Wednesday (July 09), the analysts said that while CEO Tim Cook brought operational expertise to the top job, the company now “needs a product-focused CEO.” The recommendation comes as Apple prepares for the retirement of its Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Williams, who was once seen as a potential successor to Cook.

“To be clear, Tim Cook was the right CEO at the time of his appointment and unquestionably has done a great job,” the analysts wrote. “Apple has sold over $2.0 trillion of iPhones with Cook as CEO. In fact, iPhone sales could show signs of life this quarter, as tariff-related pull-forwards help stabilize replacement cycles that may finally be bottoming out.”