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Apple exec who made iPhone special shakes CEO with his rumored decision

Apple's chip chief Johny Srouji reportedly wants to leave.

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By Anam Hamid

Published: Dec 07, 2025, 4:40 PM

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An Apple Store in Japan. | Image Credit - Apple

Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies, Johny Srouji, wants to leave the company, Bloomberg reports. Srouji was the architect behind Apple's in-house chip efforts and also pioneered the transition to an in-house modem. The homebrewed chips helped the iPhone, iPad, and Mac stand out.

This news comes as Apple contends with a string of other high-profile departures.

Apple doesn't want to lose Srouji

Srouji is key to Apple's in-house component development efforts.

Srouji reportedly informed CEO Tim Cook that he was seriously contemplating leaving in the near future. He plans to join another company after exiting Apple.

Cook is trying to convince him to stay by offering a better pay package and an increase in responsibilities. The company may make him the chief technology officer, a role requiring oversight of hardware engineering and silicon technologies.

This promotion would also make him Apple’s second-most-powerful executive, something that can't happen before John Ternus, currently hardware engineering chief and CEO heir apparent, steps into his next role. Cook would have to retire as CEO for this promotion to happen, but Apple isn't ready for a change in leadership. Besides, Srouji seemingly doesn't want to work under a new CEO, even if he is given a more influential role.

If Srouji leaves, he is expected to be replaced by either Zongjian Chen or Sribalan Santhanam.

Noteworthy employees don't want to stay at Apple anymore

Apple has had many high-impact exits recently, with many key personnel leaving for Meta, OpenAI, and AI startups. Some have decided to retire.

The exodus is particularly problematic as Apple has started to lose its footing amid its flailing efforts to keep up in the AI era. The company's AI head, John Giannandrea, left earlier this month. A few days later, head of Apple’s user interface design Alan Dye left for Meta.

Apple announced the departures of Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Kate Adams, and Vice President of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives, Lisa Jackson, a few days ago.

Abidur Chowdhury, the designer behind the iPhone Air, has also defected to an AI startup. He was viewed as a promising employee, and his departure surprised colleagues.

Apple's longtime chief operating officer, Jeff Williams, left last month, and last fall, the company's former hardware chief, Dan Riccio, also departed. Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri transitioned into a smaller role earlier this year, a likely precursor to his retirement.

Apple's human resources department has intensified its hiring and retention efforts as the company battles with the double whammy of a talent drain and execs nearing retirement age.

It's not just execs and people in prominent roles who are ditching Apple. The company has also been losing AI researchers, robotics software team members, and hardware designers.

Does the brain drain at Apple undermine your confidence in the company?

What's going on?

The sudden exodus of talent represents a tumultuous period for Apple, a company that is known for stability. It's not known what has stirred up this turmoil, but the company's AI fumbles may have made it a less exciting place for employees to work. The shake-up is happening at a time when Apple is in desperate need of a breakout product to reinvigorate its brand. Whether the rumored foldable iPhone or a significant new AI development will shift the narrative remains to be seen.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.

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