GM Looking at Apple’s Tim Cook to Fill CEO Slot

Is Apple COO, Tim Cook, ready to leave Cupertino for Detroit? According to The Business Insider, Cook is General Motors top candidate to take the CEO role at the struggling car manufacturer. Tim Cook was instrumental in Apple’s transformation from a dying computer company to an industry trendsetter during the late ’90s. GM is looking for someone to make similar changes in the auto industry and Cook is an obvious choice.

But Tim Cook’s significance at Apple goes well beyond his COO duties. Cook has been trusted with filling in for Steve Jobs during his absences for cancer surgery in 2004 and a liver transplant in 2009. Last year, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster claimed that Tim Cook may be as crucial as Steve Jobs to the future of Apple.

So will Tim Cook leave Apple? It’s hard to say. GM would certainly benefit from Cook’s presence, but the loss to Apple would be very difficult to recover from. But don’t worry too much Apple Fanboys. Cook has been well taken care of by Jobs. According to Cult of Mac, Cook made $14M last year. Cook has also turned down job offers from both Motorola and Dell the past couple years. His departure from Apple seems unlikely but…. what do you think?