Apple Appoints Indian-Origin Sabih Khan as the Company's New Chief Operating Officer
Cupertino (The Uttam Hindu): iPhone maker Apple has announced that Indian-origin Sabih Khan, who has worked in the company for 30 years, will now be Apple's new Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Sabih Khan is set to replace Jeff Williams at Apple, who is stepping down this month and retiring at the end of this year. This leadership change is happening at a time when Apple is facing challenges such as declining iPhone sales and tariff related problems.
Jeff Williams has been with Apple for over 27 years. He will now continue to lead the company's design team and projects until his retirement.
Henceforth, Apple's design team will report directly to CEO Tim Cook. Cook praised Williams' outstanding work over the years and called him a key figure in Apple's success.
He credited Williams with building one of the world's best supply chains, launching the Apple Watch, shaping the company's strategy and leading the design team with passion and commitment.
Sabih Khan joined Apple in 2019 as Senior Vice President (Operations). He has played a key role in managing the company's global supply chain and overseeing procurement and manufacturing.
As the new chief operating officer (COO), Khan will report to Tim Cook and is expected to take on additional responsibilities, including overseeing AppleCare.
Cook praised Khan, saying, "Sabih is a brilliant strategist and the chief architect of Apple's supply chain. He has helped introduce advanced manufacturing technology, expand Apple's production in the United States, and make the company more robust and flexible in the face of global challenges."
Cook also praised Khan's leadership in promoting environmental sustainability and said that thanks to his efforts, Apple has reduced its carbon emissions by more than 60 percent.
This change comes at a time when Apple is working on shifting some of its manufacturing operations from China to India as part of a strategy to mitigate the impact of US tariffs.
Sabih Khan holds degrees in Economics and Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University and a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.