Brands
Alison Wagonfeld set to join Nvidia as CMO after a decade at Google
CALIFORNIA: Alison Wagonfeld, one of Silicon Valley’s most seasoned marketing leaders, is preparing to take on a new challenge as chief marketing officer at Nvidia, closing a near ten-year chapter at Google Cloud and opening another at the heart of the global AI boom.
Wagonfeld has been the public-facing marketing force behind Google Cloud since 2016, steering everything from brand and product marketing to demand generation, global events and public sector outreach. In that time, Google Cloud transformed from a challenger brand into a serious enterprise heavyweight, a shift closely tied to her steady, narrative-led approach to marketing.
Beyond Google, her CV reads like a tour of modern tech history. She currently sits on the board of Bill, the US-listed financial operations platform for small and mid-sized businesses, where she serves on both the compensation and cybersecurity committees. Earlier, she was an operating partner at Emergence Capital, working hands-on with fast-growing cloud startups and their leadership teams.
Her career began well before cloud was a buzzword. From co-founding the early online mortgage platform Quicken Loans at Intuit, to helping scale a car-buying marketplace backed by Kleiner Perkins, to shaping Silicon Valley case studies as executive director of Harvard Business School’s California Research Center, Wagonfeld has consistently operated at the intersection of technology, storytelling and growth.
An MBA from Harvard Business School and a magna cum laude degree from Yale complete the picture. As Nvidia continues its rapid rise from graphics specialist to AI powerhouse, Wagonfeld’s move signals a sharpened focus on narrative, trust and global influence. For a company defining the future of computing, the message is clear. How the story is told matters more than ever.
Brands
Apple CEO Tim Cook to step down after 15 years, John Ternus to take over
Leadership shake-up sees long-time hardware chief step up from September
CUPERTINO: Apple has confirmed that chief executive officer Tim Cook will step down from his role and transition to executive chairman, with senior vice president of hardware engineering John Ternus set to take over as CEO from September 1, 2026.
The transition, approved unanimously by the board, marks a carefully planned leadership shift at one of the world’s most valuable companies. Cook will remain CEO through the summer, working closely with Ternus to ensure a smooth handover before moving into his new role, where he will continue to support Apple and engage with policymakers globally.
In a memo to employees, Apple CEO Tim Cook reflected on his 15-year tenure, recalling the moment Steve Jobs asked him to step into the role. “It was an emotional and challenging moment for all of us at Apple,” he wrote, adding that the company’s core values, from simplicity and innovation to a commitment to improving lives, remain unchanged.
Explaining his decision, Cook said the company’s strong roadmap and future outlook made this the right time for a transition. “I have never been more optimistic about Apple’s future,” he noted, while announcing Ternus as his successor. He described Ternus as “a visionary in his own right” with “remarkable integrity” and the right leader to guide Apple into its next phase.
Cook said, “John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honour.”
Ternus, in his own note to employees, struck a steady, execution-focused tone. Ternus said, “It has been such a privilege to lead the hardware engineering team… I still plan to be very hands-on,” signalling continuity rather than a strategic reset.
As part of the leadership reshuffle, Ternus will step away from leading hardware engineering, with Tom Marieb taking over the role. Marieb will report to Johny Srouji, who assumes an expanded position as chief hardware officer, aligning hardware development more closely with Apple’s silicon and technology teams.
Cook also used his memo to thank employees, calling them “the most remarkable people in the world” and crediting them for building Apple into what it is today. A town hall has been scheduled at the Steve Jobs Theater to discuss the transition further.
The leadership change also sees Arthur Levinson move to the role of lead independent director, while Ternus joins Apple’s board.
Cook’s tenure has been defined by massive growth and expansion, with Apple’s market value rising from around $350 billion in 2011 to $4 trillion, alongside the launch of new product categories and a booming services business. Ternus, a 25-year Apple veteran, has played a central role in shaping the company’s hardware roadmap, from iPhone and Mac to newer innovations in materials and sustainability.
The transition signals a generational shift, but not a dramatic change in direction. If anything, both memos point to continuity, discipline and a belief that Apple’s next chapter will be built on the same values that shaped its last.
