Steve Jobs Takes Medical Leave of Absence

In an e-mail sent out to Apple employees, CEO Steve Jobs stated he was taking a medical leave, and has enlisted Tim Cook, the Chief Operating Officer at Apple, to take his place during his absense. The e-mail makes no mention of what might be ailing him, but Steve does urge people to respect his family’s privacy while he’s on leave.

Steve’s e-mail is as follows:

Team,

At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health. I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company.

I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for all of Apple’s day to day operations. I have great confidence that Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific job executing the exciting plans we have in place for 2011.

I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, my family and I would deeply appreciate respect for our privacy.

Steve

Get well, Steve!