Sir Jony Ive gets promoted to Chief Design Officer at Apple

Not quite the step up from being knighted by the Queen, but close

Sir Jony Ive, the man responsible for the look of Apple’s iconic devices, has been promoted, becoming the company’s Chief Design Officer.

The British designer is one of Apple’s most recognizable figures, bringing the design vision to so many of the company’s products. Everything from iPods to Macbooks, to the newest iPhone 6 was imbued with his aesthetic, and not long ago Ive was voted the most influential Brit in the US.

The man responsible for the physical objects that Apple produced was also made responsible for the look and feel of the company’s software back in 2013, after Scott Forstall parted ways with the Cupertino-based employer.

Now his new role inside of Apple will allow him to focus on the company’s overall design language and its iconic look. Ive will still be responsible for devices and software but also for the famous Apple stores, as well as future products. As he put it, the new position will allow him to focus more on the big picture, instead of the day to day admin work.

Jony Ive’s successors are the new VP of industrial design Richard Howarth, who was lead on the original iPhone design, and the new VP of user interface design Alan Dye, responsible for the brand new UI introduced with the Apple Watch.

Source: The Telegraph | Image by Rebecca Naden