Who is Sabih Khan, Apple's new Indian-origin COO?

Indian-origin executive Sabih Khan, an Apple veteran, who has been in the company for the past 30 years, is all set to become Apple's new Chief Operating Officer (COO), taking over from Jeff Williams.

Khan, who currently serves as senior vice-president of operations, will formally assume the role later this month.

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Jeff Williams steps down

According to a July press release, the tech giant announced that its current COO Jeff Williams, 62, will be stepping down from his post later this month.

Eventually transitioning to a new position in what has been a long-planned decision, Williams will still report to Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Shifting course, Williams will continue to oversee the Apple Watch and design teams. The company stated that the design team will report directly to the CEO once Williams retires later this year.

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Who is Sabih Khan?

Born in 1966 in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad, Sabih Khan reportedly stayed in India until he was in the fifth grade. His family eventually moved to Singapore, where he finished his schooling before relocating to the US.

He holds a bachelor’s degrees in economics and mechanical engineering from Tufts University and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Khan joined Apple’s procurement team in 1995 after beginning his career at GE Plastics. Since then, he has played a pivotal role in shaping Apple’s global supply chain, supplier responsibility programs, and overall operational strategy, ensuring the seamless delivery of the company’s most innovative products.

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Tim Cook praises Khan

Apple CEO Tim Cook has praised Sabih Khan for his significant contributions to environmental sustainability, noting that his efforts played a key role in reducing Apple’s carbon footprint by more than 60 per cent.

Cook also commended Khan for pioneering new technologies in advanced manufacturing, overseeing the expansion of Apple’s manufacturing footprint in the United States, and enhancing the company’s ability to adapt to global challenges.

"Sabih is a brilliant strategist who has been one of the central architects of Apple’s supply chain. While overseeing Apple’s supply chain, he has helped pioneer new technologies in advanced manufacturing, overseen the expansion of Apple’s manufacturing footprint in the United States, and helped ensure that Apple can be nimble in response to global challenges,” Cook said in a statement.

Jeff Williams also said he firmly believes that Apple’s leadership is in the right hands despite his exit.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Sabih for 27 years and I think he’s the most talented operations executive on the planet,” he said.