In the wake of multiple high-profile resignations at Apple, Johny Srouji, the company's senior vice president of hardware technologies responsible for its in-house chip development, has reassured staff that he plans to stay with the firm for the foreseeable future. His statement came after reports suggested he was considering leaving.
Srouji's internal reassurance
Srouji addressed the rumors in an internal memo circulated to his team on December 8, 2025, according to Bloomberg. He conveyed his enthusiasm for the team and ongoing projects, highlighting Apple's continued investments in display technologies, sensors, proprietary chips, battery advancements, and hardware development. Srouji emphasized that he currently has no intention of departing from the company.
Previous rumors indicated that Srouji had previously communicated his potential resignation to Apple CEO Tim Cook and shared his exit considerations with some colleagues. In response, Cook offered Srouji enhanced compensation packages and greater future responsibilities to encourage him to stay.
Leadership exodus raises concerns
The technology giant has recently experienced a series of senior leadership exits involving key figures such as John Giannandrea, head of artificial intelligence; Alan Dye, chief of user interface design; Kate Adams, general counsel; and Lisa Jackson, vice president of government affairs. These departures have prompted some concerns regarding stability within Apple's executive ranks.
Srouji is widely regarded as a pivotal figure in Apple's chip strategy, having led development of the Apple Silicon M1 series processors that transformed the company's device performance and energy efficiency. He also oversaw the creation of the C1 and C1X baseband chips, as well as the N1 wireless chip, playing a central role in Apple's hardware innovations. His decision to remain with Apple provides a measure of reassurance to both investors and internal teams amid the recent departures.
OpenAI's aggressive talent acquisition
Meanwhile, industry reports indicate that OpenAI has engaged in aggressive recruitment from Apple. The AI research lab collaborated with former Apple design chief Jony Ive on new artificial intelligence hardware projects and has reportedly recruited around 40 Apple engineers and managers in the past month. Notable hires include Cyrus Daniel from Apple's human-machine interface team, Matt Theobald from manufacturing design, and Erik de Jong, who led Apple Watch design. This talent migration highlights ongoing competition in the high-tech sector for specialized expertise.
Article edited by Jerry Chen
