After long-time operations chief Jeff Williams plans to retire, Apple CEO Tim Cook has made a significant leadership change by appointing Indian-origin executive Sabih Khan as the company’s new COO.
Khan, who has worked for Apple for thirty years, has been instrumental in creating and overseeing the company’s international supply chain.
Khan was born in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, and spent some time in Singapore. His ascent to the second-ranking spot at Apple is a landmark achievement for Indian-origin talent in the global computer sector.
From Moradabad to USA
Born in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, in 1966, Sabih Khan later relocated to Singapore with his family. After moving to the US, he graduated from Tufts University with two bachelor’s degrees in economics and mechanical engineering.
He then went on to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to acquire a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Khan was an applications development engineer at GE Plastics before joining Apple.
He joined Apple in 1995 as a member of the procurement team and worked his way up to the position of Senior Vice President of Operations in 2019. Khan has been in charge of Apple’s global supply chain, manufacturing, product fulfilment, procurement, and logistics in this capacity.
His leadership was also evident in Apple’s supplier responsibility initiatives, which prioritised environmental sustainability and worker rights.
Khan a ‘Brillian Strategist’: Cook
Apple said in a statement that Jeff Williams will retire later this year and hand over his duties to Khan by the end of the month. Tim Cook hailed Khan as a “brilliant strategist” and one of the main designers of Apple’s worldwide supply chain in his statement.
Cook credited Khan with helping Apple reduce its carbon footprint by more than 60%, highlighting his efforts in sophisticated manufacturing, expanding production in the US, and sustainability programs.
Cook expressed complete faith in Khan’s ability to influence Apple’s future, saying, “Above all, Sabih leads with his heart and his values.”
With this change, Khan assumes a position that places him among the most powerful executives in the most valuable corporation in the world, and Tim Cook will now receive direct reports from Apple’s design team.
India Benefiting from US-China Trade Tension
The shifting of Khan coincides with Apple’s efforts to lessen the effects of US tariffs by moving some of its manufacture from China to India.
Trade conflicts between the US and China, which started under former President Donald Trump, are the direct cause of Apple’s entry into India.
These tensions have now developed into strategic actions on both sides, with China retaliating with limits on technology, talent, and raw materials and the United States providing tax incentives and trade agreements to nations like Vietnam and India.
Though it might not seem as dramatic, China’s most recent action might be just as destructive as a trade battle. The risk is growing on both sides for Apple, which intends to manufacture the majority of iPhones for the US in India by 2026.
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