What was Steve Jobs’s role at Apple when he returned in 1997?

Steve Jobs’s role at Apple when he returned in 1997 was interim CEO.

Apple acquired NeXT in late 1996, bringing Jobs back to the company he had co-founded. In July 1997, after Apple’s board removed CEO Gil Amelio, Jobs took over as interim chief executive. He initially used the title “iCEO,” reflecting the temporary nature of the appointment.

During this period, Jobs simplified Apple’s product strategy, reduced the number of projects, and focused the company on a smaller set of consumer and professional products. Apple later made him permanent chief executive in 2000.

The interim title is often confused with Jobs’s earlier position as chairman or with his later permanent CEO role. His return preceded the iMac launch and Apple’s broader turnaround, but he was not permanently appointed CEO until several years after coming back.