#tim-cook

#tim-cook

The costly and creepy plushies, made popular by Gen Z celebrities and used as bag charms by rich teens, got a much-needed boost from a sexagenarian man. Apple CEO Tim Cook visited a Labubu exhibition in China on Monday, sending the stock of Pop Mart, Labubu's manufacturer, up as much as 6% on Tuesday. Cook's appearance at the Shanghai Pop Mart event, where he was seen meeting with Pop Mart CEO Wang Ning and Labubu designer Kasing Lung, inspired rumors of a potential collaboration.

Recent speculation about Tim Cook's potential departure from Apple has reached a crescendo, fueled not only by his approaching 65th birthday next month but also by broader questions about his leadership in an increasingly complex global landscape. While Cook has made no official announcement about stepping down, industry watchers note that his tenure has been marked by challenging geopolitical pressures that may be weighing on the famously private executive.

In a decades-long tradition, superfans lined up to be the first to try the devices. After taking over as CEO in 2011, Cook has made a habit of showing up at Apple Stores on launch days to shake hands and answer questions. His first appearance was at the Palo Alto store in 2013 for the iPhone 5, the first phone to use a Lightning cable.

"We're very open to [mergers and acquisitions]," Cook said at the time. "We basically ask ourselves whether a company can help us accelerate a roadmap. If they do, then we're interested."

National Review criticized President Trump for overstepping authority, likening his ultimatum to Apple to that of a king—demanding production in the U.S. or else.

"Internally, Phillip Schiller had advocated that Apple comply with the Injunction, but Tim Cook ignored Schiller and instead allowed Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri and his finance team to convince him otherwise," the judge wrote in a sharply worded opinion.

Elon Musk may be gradually losing interest in Tesla's operational details, signaling a potential need for a more process-focused CEO, similar to Tim Cook's role at Apple.