Apple has announced the elevation of Indian-origin executive Sabih Khan as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO), marking a key leadership transition at the tech giant. Khan will take over the role later this month from Jeff Williams, who will retire by the end of the year.
A longtime Apple veteran, Khan currently serves as Senior Vice President of Operations and has played a crucial role in the company’s product delivery, supply chain resilience, and environmental initiatives. His appointment is not just a corporate milestone, but also a moment of pride for the Indian diaspora, as he becomes one of the highest-ranking Indian-origin executives in global tech.
From Moradabad to Cupertino: Sabih Khan’s Journey
Born in 1966 in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, Khan’s early years were spent in India before his family moved to Singapore. He later relocated to the United States for higher education, where he earned dual bachelor's degrees in economics and mechanical engineering from Tufts University, followed by a master's in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).
Before joining Apple, Khan worked at GE Plastics as an applications development engineer. In 1995, he joined Apple’s procurement team and gradually rose through the ranks, shaping the company’s global operational strategy and helping deliver some of its most iconic products.
In a statement, Apple CEO Tim Cook hailed Khan as “a brilliant strategist” and one of the core architects of Apple’s global supply chain. “Sabih is a brilliant strategist who has been one of the central architects of Apple’s supply chain,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “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. He has advanced our ambitious efforts in environmental sustainability, helping reduce Apple’s carbon footprint by more than 60 percent. Above all, Sabih leads with his heart and his values, and I know he will make an exceptional chief operating officer.”
