Apple boss Tim Cook has publicly come out as gay, describing his sexuality as “among the greatest gifts God has given me”.

The 53-year-old took over the running of the $630 billion (£395 billion) technology giant three years ago following the retirement of the company’s late co-founder Steve Jobs.

In an open letter published on Bloomberg BusinessWeek today, he said: “While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven’t publicly acknowledged it either, until now.”

He added: “Being gay has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be in the minority and provided a window into the challenges that people in other minority groups deal with every day.

"It’s made me more empathetic, which has led to a richer life. It’s been tough and uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the confidence to be myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above adversity and bigotry.

"It’s also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comes in handy when you’re the chief executive of Apple.”

Cook praised changing attitudes towards the LGBT community, and hailed other openly gay public figures. Other gay bosses include the Burberry chief executive Christopher Bailey.

“I don’t consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I’ve benefited from the sacrifice of others.

"So if hearing that the CEO of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire people to insist on their equality, then it’s worth the trade-off with my own privacy.”

The decision to come out “wasn’t an easy choice”, he added, calling for others to continue to respect his privacy over the matter.