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Apple design guru Jony Ive, whose minimalist sensibilities have influenced a range of products from the iMac to the Apple Watch, has been named to the newly created position of chief design officer.
In his new role, Ive will focus on current design products, new ideas and future initiatives, the company said in a statement confirming the promotion.
Day-to-day managerial responsibilities will be handed off to his longtime collaborators, Richard Howarth, who will oversee industrial design, and Alan Dye, who will take charge of user interfaces.
The British-born Ive worked closely with late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, helping create a distinctive look for Apple’s products that would help spark the company’s remarkable revival. His influence grew over time as he designed packaging for products and worked side-by-side with retail head Angela Ahrendts on a redesign of the company’s stores.
Ive’s promotion was first reported by The Telegraph.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.