Rajesh Ambati gets key Apple engineering role

Apple is making significant changes to its hardware engineering leadership as it prepares for the next phase of product development under CEO John Ternus. As part of the reshuffle, long-time display executives Wei Chen and John Zhong are moving into advisory roles, while Rajesh Ambati has been promoted to vice-president of engineering.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Chen and Zhong are transitioning into smaller, advisory-like positions after spending nearly three decades at Apple. Their move is part of a longer-term succession plan aimed at ensuring a smooth transition within the company’s display engineering teams.

Victor Yin, whom Chen and Zhong have mentored for years, has already taken on much of the responsibility for Apple’s display development. The transition comes as Apple continues to prepare new display technologies for its upcoming products.

At the same time, Apple has promoted Ambati, Louie Sanguinetti and Derek Shaeffer to vice-president roles as part of its usual October promotion cycle. The three executives are involved in hardware and software technologies that help Apple devices connect to the internet.

Who is Rajesh Ambati?

Ambati has worked for 18 years at Apple. Ambati started as a software engineering manager and later became the vice‑president of engineering. Before his promotion, in September 2026 Ambati was the director of software engineering. In that role Ambati supervised the development of connectivity, cellular and satellite software.

He was responsible, for software design and development performance, certification, verification and stability. Ambati started working at Apple in 2009 after spending seven years at Motorola as an engineering manager.

During his Apple career, he has worked on wireless software and cellular technologies across several products, including the first-generation iPad and cellular connectivity for the iPhone.

His new role places him alongside Sanguinetti and Shaeffer as part of Apple’s engineering leadership. His background in connectivity software could become increasingly important as Apple continues to bring hardware, wireless technologies and software closer together.

Apple streamlines hardware operations

The leadership changes come after Apple began reorganising its hardware operations earlier this year. The company combined its hardware engineering and hardware technologies groups under Johny Srouji, who was appointed chief hardware officer.

Apple has also been reducing management layers within its hardware organisation. Some hardware programme managers have been laid off in recent weeks as Srouji and Ternus work to simplify the structure and improve coordination between engineering teams.

The changes reflect Ternus’ approach as he begins his tenure as CEO, with Apple seeking a more streamlined product development process and fewer layers between engineers and senior leadership.

New display technology ahead

Apple is also preparing several display-related upgrades. The company is expected to introduce a higher-end MacBook Pro with a touch-screen OLED display this week. The laptop is expected in 14-inch and 16-inch variants and could feature the Dynamic Island, a screen element already familiar from the iPhone.

Apple is also reportedly developing OLED versions of the MacBook Air and iMac, although those products are not expected to launch soon.

With Yin taking a larger role in display development and Chen and Zhong moving toward retirement, Apple is positioning its engineering teams for a new phase of product development under Ternus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kahekashan

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Kahekashan is a passionate technophile with a keen eye for cutting-edge gadgets, emerging technologies, and everything in the digital realm. Raised in a Defence family with strong values and a background in literature, she has consistently pursued excellence in every endeavour. Her last full-time assignment involved content writing with the Indian School of Business.

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