Jony Ive returns to lead Apple design team after two years creating new spaceship campus

Jony Ive is credited for designing cult Apple products including the iMac, iPad, iPod, and iPhone, among others.

Jony Ive, Apple’s star designer, is reclaiming direct management control over the company’s product design team. Ive is back to managing Apple’s design team after two years of helping build the company’s new multibillion-dollar ‘Spaceship’ campus headquarters. “With the completion of Apple Park, Apple’s design leaders and teams are again reporting directly to Jony Ive, who remains focused purely on design,” Amy Bessette, a company spokeswoman told Bloomberg.

Ive fist stepped away from day-to-day management of Apple’s design team in 2015 when he took on the role of the chief design officer. He was reporting directly to CEO Tim Cook. Many believe that Ive stepped away from the role so that he could concentrate on managing the day-to-day development of the Apple Park – the company’s recently-launched headquarters in California. In addition to that, Apple gave additional charge to Ive for an overhaul of the company’s retail stores.

Jony Ive has been one of Apple’s most valuable employees. The 50-year-old Brit is credited with designing cult Apple products including the iMac, iPad, iPod, and iPhone, among others. Steve Jobs once called Apple design chief Jony Ive his “spiritual partner”, and the two had a close personal and professional relationship. The celebrated industrial designer has been at the center of Apple’s success under both Steve Jobs and Tim Cook.

For some time there had been speculation that the Apple Park could be Ive’s last ambitious project for the company. However,  it has now been made clear that Ive is not going anywhere and will continue to play a big role in shaping next-generation of Apple products.