Apple officially recognizes Jony Ive's promotion, adds VP of design bios to leadership webpage
Apple made its promotion of Jony Ive to Chief Design Officer a bit more official on Wednesday in an update to the Apple Leadership webpage, while at the same time adding executive profiles for design underlings Alan Dye and Richard Howarth.
From left: Apple VP of User Interface Alan Dye, Chief Design Officer Jony Ive and VP of Industrial Design Richard Howarth.
Ive's new executive profile now lists the star designer as Apple's Chief Design Officer, a C-level position first unveiled in May.
As previously reported, Ive's bio says he is responsible for all design at Apple, listing "the look and feel of Apple hardware, user interface, packaging, major architectural projects such as Apple Campus 2 and Apple's retail stores" as areas under his purview. Ive will also handle "new ideas and future initiatives," Apple says.
Prior to his promotion, Ive was named SVP of Design in 2013, a title referencing dual roles as head of hardware and human interface design. As CDO, Ive is still involved with both departments, but should have more leeway to work on Apple's broader design language.
Alongside Ive, the Apple Leadership webpage added two slots for newly minted vice presidents Alan Dye and Richard Howarth. Dye, who worked at Kate Spade and Ogilvy & Mather before joining Apple's marketing team in 2006, takes the title of VP of User Interface Design. Howarth, now VP of Industrial Design, was hired by Apple in 1996 and worked on "every Apple product since the original iMac," as well as taking lead design roles in iPhone and Apple Watch.
Ive previously intimated that he would be in charge of the divisions now under Dye and Howarth, though it seems the VPs will answer directly to Cook.
From left: Apple VP of User Interface Alan Dye, Chief Design Officer Jony Ive and VP of Industrial Design Richard Howarth.
Ive's new executive profile now lists the star designer as Apple's Chief Design Officer, a C-level position first unveiled in May.
As previously reported, Ive's bio says he is responsible for all design at Apple, listing "the look and feel of Apple hardware, user interface, packaging, major architectural projects such as Apple Campus 2 and Apple's retail stores" as areas under his purview. Ive will also handle "new ideas and future initiatives," Apple says.
Prior to his promotion, Ive was named SVP of Design in 2013, a title referencing dual roles as head of hardware and human interface design. As CDO, Ive is still involved with both departments, but should have more leeway to work on Apple's broader design language.
Alongside Ive, the Apple Leadership webpage added two slots for newly minted vice presidents Alan Dye and Richard Howarth. Dye, who worked at Kate Spade and Ogilvy & Mather before joining Apple's marketing team in 2006, takes the title of VP of User Interface Design. Howarth, now VP of Industrial Design, was hired by Apple in 1996 and worked on "every Apple product since the original iMac," as well as taking lead design roles in iPhone and Apple Watch.
Ive previously intimated that he would be in charge of the divisions now under Dye and Howarth, though it seems the VPs will answer directly to Cook.
Comments
If he doesn't have any direct reports then my bet is once Campus 2 is finished he retires and perhaps joins the Apple board. Remember Avie Tevanian was promoted to Chief Software Technology Officer in July 2003 but Bertrand Serlet was brought on to run software engineering. March 2006 he left the company. I do find it interesting that these design VPs were not slotted under hardware and software engineering. I guess Apple is making a statement that design will never report to engineering and will always have a direct line to the CEO.
The 'bozo explosion' in full swing?
I get why Apple added that VP layer because it was an easy way to get women and people of color on the executive leadership page. But why Tim Cook has so many people reporting directly to him I don't understand. I can't imagine he has time to be sitting in design review meetings. And why would the guy running chip technology report to Cook and not the SVP of hardware engineering?
industry and move on to the next great thing.
The revolution has just begun.
After rooting for Apple for 30 years, looking for the next underdog to undermine the entire
industry and move on to the next great thing.
Why?
Eric Jackson tweeted that he thinks Apple (and Ive) don't want to have to disclose his salary/stock options so they've set it up so the SEC can't come knocking. Ben Thompson is more skeptical and has kind of implied Apple lied to us. Ive's updated bio says he's responsible for hardware and software design (among other things) so either he told Cook he would prefer to have no longer have direct reports or Eric Jackson is right and these two VPs are technically reporting to Cook but have a very thick dotted line to Ive.
"Rooting for Apple"? You've been trolling here for as long as I can remember. So sick of cynical, hateful people like you constantly rooting for Apple's demise. What the hell has Apple done to you this time? They're firing on all cylinders and are doing the best work in their history. Are you offended Apple didn't seek your advice before modifying their leadership page? Or are you just bored at their success and the fact that their doubters (like you) have never been right? You'll be waiting a while for your fantasy. Apple is pretty much unstoppable for the foreseeable future, so feel free to cry yourself to sleep until then. The rest of us all use and continue to enjoy the best product lineup Apple has ever had.
Ha! What's interesting is when Avie Tevanian was promoted to Chief Software Technology Officer his bio page was updated to say he "focuses on setting company-wide software technology directions for Apple". Bertrand Serlet's bio page said he was "responsible for leading Apple's software engineering group". Contrast that with Ive's bio page:
Tevanian's new role was quite vague. Ive's is not and says he's still responsible for HW/SW design. So either Ive asked to have no direct reports or, as Eric Jackson tweeted, direct reports were taken away so Apple doesn't have to report Ive's compensation or stock options. He thinks Apple wants to keep that a secret. So my guess is even if these two new VPs don't technically report to Ive on the org chart in reality they still do and Tim Cook isn't going to be sitting in product design reviews anytime soon. Also Ive's bio is the only one that mentions "new ideas and future initiatives" which leads me to believe he will be heavily involved in whatever the next big thing is, be it a car, more wearables or something else.
He has an iPhone and FaceTime ... easy
He doesn't seem to waste his time gossiping, speculating, handwringing and worrying, By the way, you're wasting our time as well. Where you really cross the line is projecting your values on Ive and predicting his retirement. You have no idea what drives a person like him, as you demonstrate here day after day.
When Steve Jobs was CEO, Tim Cook was the COO aka President. Why was the position of COO not filled when Tim Cook was promoted to CEO?
http://tinyurl.com/of75c7
That line of thinking confuses me. I initially thought having those two guys report to Cook was an indication of retirement for Ive but after reading his updated bio I've changed my mind:
Interestingly though, according to theofficialboad.com Ive has 5 direct reports (6 if you include Marc Newson). I wonder how accurate this site is. It also shows Lisa Jackson reporting into legal and Steve Dowling into marketing; both are listed as reporting to Cook on Apple's website.
"Rooting for Apple"? You've been trolling here for as long as I can remember. So sick of cynical, hateful people like you constantly rooting for Apple's demise. What the hell has Apple done to you this time? They're firing on all cylinders and are doing the best work in their history. Are you offended Apple didn't seek your advice before modifying their leadership page? Or are you just bored at their success and the fact that their doubters (like you) have never been right? You'll be waiting a while for your fantasy. Apple is pretty much unstoppable for the foreseeable future, so feel free to cry yourself to sleep until then. The rest of us all use and continue to enjoy the best product lineup Apple has ever had.
aaaaand you fell for that so easily.