The list also includes Nvidia CFO Colette Kress, who was named interim CEO following Huang’s resignation, Nvidia VP Ian Buck, AMD CEO Lisa Su, Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, and others. To be clear, these are all major players in the tech world with deep knowledge of the chip industry.
What’s less clear from the report is whether the list of candidates was obtained from an Nvidia source or simply some educated speculation by the Bloomberg reporters, but it makes sense that Srouji would be considered. A longtime exec and face of Apple’s keynotes, Srouji has led Apple’s chip efforts from the start, including the development of the first A4 chip in the iPhone and M1 chips in Macs.
Apple’s A-series chips are a major reason why the iPhone continues to be the best-performing smartphone in the industry, and the transition of Mac hardware from Intel chips to Apple silicon has been a huge success that has contributed to the Mac’s growing market share. They continue to set the standard for mobile and desktop processors, and have upended the consumer chip industry as manufacturers scramble to compete.
Srouji was named Apple’s Chief Hardware Officer earlier this year, at the same time Tim Cook announced his retirement as Apple CEO. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in December 2025 that Srouji seriously considered leaving Apple, and the speculation is that the promotion to CHO was part of an effort to keep him at the company. “I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon,” Srouji reportedly said to his staff in response to Gurman’s report. But that was then, and being handed the reins of one of the largest companies in the world could cause him to reconsider.
Less likely to be a candidate is Tim Cook, who stepped down as CEO on September 1. His name wasn’t included in the Bloomberg report but President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social network that Cook is the “only one man” who could fill Jensen’s shoes as CEO. “A Legend replaces a Legend!” he wrote.
