Apple Ends Consulting Agreement With Former Design Chief Jony Ive [Report]

Apple has ended its consulting agreement with former chief of design Sir Jony Ive, reports the New York Times.

Despite Ive's official departure from Apple in 2019, the designer signed a multiyear consulting contract with the company, allegedly worth more than $100 million. This made Apple the primary client of his new design firm, LoveFrom.

That contract was up for renewal recently; however, the parties have purportedly agreed not to extend it.


In recent weeks, with the contract coming up for renewal, the parties agreed not to extend it. Some Apple executives had questioned how much the company was paying Mr. Ive and had grown frustrated after several of its designers left to join Mr. Ive’s firm. And Mr. Ive wanted the freedom to take on clients without needing Apple’s clearance, these people said.

Prior to his departure from Apple, Ive is said to have grown discontent with CEO Tim Cook's focus on operations, rather than leaps in design. Cook strenuously denied these reports, calling them 'absurd'.

Moving forward, Apple COO Jeff Williams will continue to oversee the company's design teams with Evans Hankey leading industrial design and Alan Dye leading software design. Additionally, SVP of Marketing, Greg Joswiak, has taken a central role in product choices.

Ive's firm, LoveFrom, is still working with other clients, including Airbnb and Ferrari.


More details in the full report linked below...

Read More