John Ternus is taking a more ‘hands-on’ role in Apple’s design teams as CEO: report

Since Jony Ive left Apple in 2019, the tech giant has lacked a true design leader. For a time, former COO Jeff Williams oversaw the design teams, but left last year. CEO John Ternus, who became CEO only a month ago, has shown a strong interest in the company's design teams, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This interest began even before Ternus took on the role of CEO, as Jeff Williams' departure led to Ternus taking on industrial design and human interface team management.

Ternus' background in hardware engineering likely contributed to his interest in design. Unlike former CEO Tim Cook, who only visited the studio once a month, Ternus has immersed himself in these teams, often stopping by several times a week. This level of engagement marks a significant difference from Cook's approach. Ternus has also been proactive in replenishing the design team, as key talent has left for other companies.

Notably, Alan Dye joined Meta, while several Apple employees have moved to OpenAI. To address this, Apple has promoted junior designers and hired new talent from outside the company. Despite these efforts, no search has been initiated for a Jony Ive replacement to serve as Chief Design Officer. Instead, Molly Anderson and Steve Lemay lead the industrial design and human interface teams respectively, with Ternus ultimately making the design decisions.

Ternus' dedication to design, despite not having a traditional design background, highlights the importance Apple places on this aspect of the company.