Apple designer Jony Ive rumored to be considering move back to UK
Apple's lead designer Jony Ive is said to be on the cusp of cashing in some $30 million in stock options, and eyeing a move back to his home country of the U.K.
According to the Times of London (behind a paywall, via TUAW), Ive, the senior vice president of industrial design at Apple, was given a "golden handcuffs" option grant in 2008. Since then, the amount has grown so much that Ive's profits could amount to $30 million in U.S. dollars.
In all, Ive is said to be worth about $128 million, and he owns a house in Somerset, U.K., reportedly worth about $4 million. It's the distance from his home to Apple's Cupertino, Calif., campus that's said to have caused him and Apple's board to be "at loggerheads."
The report said that Ive and his wife Heather are considering a move back to England with their twin sons for their education. But an anonymous friend of the family reportedly said that Apple would not be able to keep his current position with the company if he leaves its California headquarters.
Ive is Apple's lead designer and often heralded as an important component of the company's success, crafting icon products like the iPod, iphone and iPad. Last July, Fortune magazine named Ive the smartest designer in the technology industry.
An Apple spokesperson told the Times that the company would have no comment on the claimed $30 million option grant. Ive's alleged interest in moving back to England was called "speculation."
Questions of Ive's future with Apple come just over a month after the company's chief executive, Steve Jobs, announced he would take a leave of absence for health reasons. Though he has not participated in his day-to-day duties at Apple, leaving them to Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook, he did appear at a meeting of Silicon Valley luminaries with President Obama. He turned 56 last Thursday.
According to the Times of London (behind a paywall, via TUAW), Ive, the senior vice president of industrial design at Apple, was given a "golden handcuffs" option grant in 2008. Since then, the amount has grown so much that Ive's profits could amount to $30 million in U.S. dollars.
In all, Ive is said to be worth about $128 million, and he owns a house in Somerset, U.K., reportedly worth about $4 million. It's the distance from his home to Apple's Cupertino, Calif., campus that's said to have caused him and Apple's board to be "at loggerheads."
The report said that Ive and his wife Heather are considering a move back to England with their twin sons for their education. But an anonymous friend of the family reportedly said that Apple would not be able to keep his current position with the company if he leaves its California headquarters.
Ive is Apple's lead designer and often heralded as an important component of the company's success, crafting icon products like the iPod, iphone and iPad. Last July, Fortune magazine named Ive the smartest designer in the technology industry.
An Apple spokesperson told the Times that the company would have no comment on the claimed $30 million option grant. Ive's alleged interest in moving back to England was called "speculation."
Questions of Ive's future with Apple come just over a month after the company's chief executive, Steve Jobs, announced he would take a leave of absence for health reasons. Though he has not participated in his day-to-day duties at Apple, leaving them to Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook, he did appear at a meeting of Silicon Valley luminaries with President Obama. He turned 56 last Thursday.
Comments
I suppose there might security concerns etc with information and or prototypes being ferried back and forth across the pond (physically or electronically) - but in this day and age for a technology company not to have remote office workers seems kinda silly.
Birth
rising
shining
decay
death
Apple is beginning it decay stage
Apple's lead designer Jony Ive is said to be on the cusp of cashing in some $30 million in stock options, and eyeing a move back to his home country of the U.K.
According to the Times of London (behind a paywall, via TUAW), Ive, the senior vice president of industrial design at Apple, was given a "golden handcuffs" option grant in 2008. Since then, the amount has grown so much that Ive's profits could amount to $30 million in U.S. dollars.
In all, Ive is said to be worth about $128 million, and he owns a house in Somerset, U.K., reportedly worth about $4 million. It's the distance from his home to Apple's Cupertino, Calif., campus that's said to have caused he and Apple's board to be "at loggerheads."
The report said that Ive and his wife Heather are considering a move back to England with their twin sons for their education. But an anonymous friend of the family reportedly said that Apple would not be able to keep his current position with the company if he leaves its California headquarters.
Ive is Apple's lead designer and often heralded as an important component of the company's success, crafting icon products like the iPod, iphone and iPad. Last July, Fortune magazine named Ive the smartest designer in the technology industry.
An Apple spokesperson told the Tiems that the company would have no comment on the claimed $30 million option grant. Ive's alleged interest in moving back to England was called "speculation."
Questions of Ive's future with Apple come soon just over a month after the company's chief executive, Steve Jobs, announced he would take a leave of absence for health reasons. Though he has not participated in his day-to-day duties at Apple, leaving them to Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook, he did appear at a meeting of Silicon Valley luminaries with President Obama. He turned 56 last Thursday.
Would not the new HD FaceTime camera and a high speed internet connection make it like he is there even when he's not?
No. Technology has come such a long, long way... but there is no such thing as a replacement for actually being there.
Everything in the natural world obeys this law
Birth
rising
shining
decay
death
Apple is beginning it decay stage
I agree with all but the last line. It's still too soon to tell..
Things do seem like they are changing, but we could just be witnessing a "changing of the guards," and who knows where the next shift will take the company.
Everything in the natural world obeys this law
Birth
rising
shining
decay
death
Apple is beginning it decay stage
I guess your knowledge about business is so incredible! I bet that your success is amazing! after reading your incredible statement, I am sure business leaders all over the world would love to hear more from you..
George
They are definately past rising, but have not yet past shining. Where would you put Microsoft and Nokia then?
Everything in the natural world obeys this law
Birth
rising
shining
decay
death
Apple is beginning it decay stage
Everything in the natural world obeys this law
Apple is beginning it decay stage
Well, from the early 90's until a year or so after Jobs return everyone had pretty much pronounced Apple as being dead. There were daily news stories pronouncing Apple's imminent death. And yet, here we are..... Never mind that some analysts view Apple as being undervalued.
You're in the wrong decade. Let's not start this again.
Would not the new HD FaceTime camera and a high speed internet connection make it like he is there even when he's not?
I suppose there might security concerns etc with information and or prototypes being ferried back and forth across the pond (physically or electronically) - but in this day and age for a technology company not to have remote office workers seems kinda silly.
I doubt Jony's job would be easy to do remotely from the UK. I don't care how good today's technology is, seeing, physically feeling and holding products can't be duplicated electronicaly. Having key design personnel in different locations could easily become a logistics and security nightmare.
I'd hate to see Jony leave Apple so IMO having a remote or part-time Jony Ive, a proven design genius, would be better than having him leave.
I suppose there might security concerns etc with information and or prototypes being ferried back and forth across the pond (physically or electronically) - but in this day and age for a technology company not to have remote office workers seems kinda silly.
Apple talks a lot of talk about security etc, telling every other company how great it is. Wouldn't look good for them to show a lack of faith
Plus once they got to the prototype stages, who says they would ship them to Ive rather than him coming back for a few weeks
Sheldon
I hope they can work out some arrangement to keep Ive on-board at Apple but it will be difficult - Apple's design process is likely very organic and the ability for the quick back-and-forth would be negated with the design lead in England.
When all the intellectuals and great minds start leaving the country... watch out.
Everything in the natural world obeys this law
Birth
rising
shining
decay
death
Apple is beginning it decay stage
How can you possibly think this? Mac, iPhone, iPad and ATV product sales are still on the upswing without a dud product in years. What evidence are you basing your decay theory on?