Swedish Founder Emails Tim Cook to Say Thanks, Gets Surprise Reply From Apple Boss in 4 Days
Synopsis
Swedish founder Melvin Hagberg sent a thank-you email to Apple's Tim Cook, praising his leadership. To his surprise, Cook replied with a brief, appreciative message. Hagberg then shared the exchange on X, where it went viral, amassing millions of views.
What started as a simple thank-you email to Tim Cook turned into an unexpected exchange after the Apple executive chairman replied to a Swedish startup founder just four days later.
Swedish founder Melvin Hagberg emailed Cook to express his admiration for the Apple leader and his contribution to the company. Hagberg did not appear to expect a response, but Cook replied with a short yet warm message that quickly caught attention online.
Hagberg shared a screenshot of their email exchange on X. His message was titled “Thank you for everything” and praised Cook's leadership during his 15-year tenure at Apple.
“I have such massive respect for you as a CEO, and everything you've done for Apple as a company,” Hagberg wrote. “You are a huge inspiration for me. Thanks for everything!”
Cook responded: “I appreciate your very kind note. Thanks so much.”
Sharing the exchange on X, Hagberg added a simple caption that resonated with thousands of users: “I emailed Tim Cook last week. He replied. You can literally just email people.” His post, shared on September 7, has crossed 4.7 million views.
The interaction drew praise from social media users, with several people appreciating Cook for taking the time to respond personally. Others joined Hagberg in acknowledging Cook's impact on Apple.
Cook became Apple's CEO in August 2011 after succeeding Steve Jobs. He stepped down as CEO on September 1, 2026, and moved into the role of Executive Chairman. Apple has said he will continue working with the company on certain matters, including engagement with policymakers worldwide.
During Cook's time as CEO, Apple expanded its product portfolio with products such as the Apple Watch, AirPods, HomePod and Vision Pro, while also growing its services business.
For Hagberg, however, the memorable takeaway was much simpler: a genuine thank-you note to one of the world's best-known technology leaders actually received a reply.