Jobs' Stand-In Is Apple's New Star

Steve Jobs is slated to return to Apple this month—he’s already been sighted at the office—but in his absence Tim Cook has made a name for himself, becoming a vital commodity Apple needs to keep, the Wall Street Journal reports. “At this point, losing Tim Cook would be a bigger deal to investors than if Steve Jobs stepped aside,” says one analyst. “Just the thought makes my stomach tighten up.”

Apple is “acutely aware that Tim is a very attractive property,” adds to one insider, and may offer him a seat on the board. Cook had fielded offers from Motorola and Dell even before he led Apple to a 15% profit increase and 60% share price jump. “Now it’s clear that Tim Cook can run any technology-based company,” said one CEO recruiter. “He’s a more attractive CEO candidate both inside Apple and outside.” (More Tim Cook stories.)