Apple Inc. has made a big change in its leadership by naming Sabih Khan, an experienced Indian-American executive, as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO) starting in late July 2025. Khan, who has worked for the tech giant for almost 30 years, takes over for Jeff Williams, who will retire later this year after being COO since 2015. This is a big deal for Apple because it puts Khan, a supply chain expert, in charge of one of the world’s most valuable companies as Tim Cook’s second-in-command.
Sabih Khan was born in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, in 1966. His rise to the top of Apple shows how strong and skilled he is. When Khan was 10, his family moved to Singapore. There, he was exposed to many different cultures and ways of thinking about the world, which helped him later manage Apple’s complicated international operations. He also has a strong academic background, with two bachelor’s degrees from Tufts University in economics and mechanical engineering, as well as a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).
Before joining Apple in 1995, Khan worked as an applications development engineer and key account technical leader at GE Plastics (now SABIC), where he improved his skills. This early work in the industrial sector set the stage for his later job of managing Apple’s huge global supply chain.
Khan started working for Apple in the company’s procurement group, where he quickly showed that he could think strategically. He has been in charge of planning, buying, making, shipping, and delivering products for Apple for the past 30 years. Khan has been Senior Vice President of Operations since 2019. He has been very important in helping Apple grow its manufacturing presence in the United States and Southeast Asia, even when there were global problems like the COVID-19 pandemic and trade tensions between the U.S. and China.
Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, called Khan a “brilliant strategist” and a key part of the company’s supply chain resilience. Apple’s carbon footprint has dropped by more than 60% since Khan took over, which shows how much he cares about protecting the environment. Cook talked about Khan’s values-based leadership, saying, “Sabih leads with his heart and his values, and I know he will be a great chief operating officer.”
Khan is one of Apple’s most important people as COO because he is in charge of global operations during a time of great difficulty. These include slowing iPhone sales, possible tariff pressures from the new U.S. administration, and the need to move production closer to where it will be sold to lower geopolitical risks. Posts on X talk about how Khan will be under a lot of scrutiny. One says that his “first test” will be to deal with “Trump tariffs” and make Apple’s global supply chain strategy stronger.
Khan is well-equipped to deal with these problems because he knows a lot about managing supply chains. He has a history of creating new manufacturing technologies and making sure that Apple can quickly respond to problems around the world. Khan is also expected to take charge of AppleCare, which will give him even more power within the company.
Jeff Williams, Khan’s predecessor, left behind a legacy of operational excellence. He led the development of the Apple Watch and Apple’s health initiatives while also expanding the company’s operations around the world. Williams, who will still report to Tim Cook and be in charge of the company’s design team and health initiatives, called Khan “the most talented operations executive on the planet” after working together for 27 years.
Apple’s strategy of promoting people from within with a lot of institutional knowledge is shown by Khan’s appointment. His focus on sustainability, operational efficiency, and supply chain resilience fits with Apple’s long-term goals of being innovative and adaptable in a competitive tech market.
As Sabih Khan takes over as COO, he will be in charge of Apple’s manufacturing, logistics, quality control, and supplier responsibility programs around the world. Apple will need his leadership as it deals with a complicated global environment that includes trade tensions and the push for carbon neutrality. Khan is ready to lead Apple’s operations to more success because of his years of experience and strategic vision.
Khan’s journey from Moradabad to Cupertino shows how important education, hard work, and a global perspective are. His story inspires a new generation of leaders and shows that Apple is still committed to operational excellence and innovation.
