Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that the CEO himself has final say over hardware design and software interfaces, and that Apple has no plans to appoint a chief design officer.
Key points: John Ternus, who became Apple CEO on September 1, is effectively taking on the role of chief design officer, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in his October 4 newsletter, “Power On.”
Gurman said Ternus works directly in the studios of Apple’s industrial design and human interface teams several times a week, sometimes stopping by twice in a single day. Both hardware designs and software interfaces pass through his hands.
Since Jony Ive left in 2019, no single person at Apple has overseen both hardware and software design.
For the first time in seven years, final authority over Apple’s design is once again in the hands of one person. That person is the CEO, not a designer.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in his October 4 newsletter, “Power On,” that John Ternus, who took over as Apple CEO on September 1, is at the center of design decisions for both hardware and software interfaces.
Apple has not formally appointed him chief design officer. But people familiar with the design division regard him as its ultimate decision-maker, Gurman reported.
Several times a week in the studio
Ternus spends considerable time with Apple’s industrial design and human interface teams. Industrial design shapes the appearance of devices such as the iPhone and Mac, while human interface design determines what users see and interact with on screens in iOS and macOS.
Several people in the division told Gurman that Ternus works directly in the studios several times a week, and on some days stops by more than once.
The design studios are familiar territory for Ternus. Even when he led hardware engineering, he worked closely with the studios to turn design concepts into products that could be manufactured at scale.
His involvement has broadened since he became CEO. Rather than limiting himself to engineering reviews, he now works regularly with the people shaping the look of Apple’s hardware and operating systems, Gurman said.
The role left vacant after Ive’s departure
Since Jony Ive left in 2019, Apple has had no leader overseeing both industrial and software design. Ive was the last person to lead both areas. After his departure, the two teams had separate heads and reported to former Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, who specialized in manufacturing and operations, not design.
Ternus appears to be filling that vacant role. Molly Anderson continues to lead industrial design, and Steve Lemay continues to head human interface design. What has changed is that both teams now report directly to a CEO who is personally involved in their work.
Design now has a direct voice in discussions about Apple’s most important products, without another executive standing between the teams and the CEO. Bloomberg reported that Apple is not searching externally for a chief design officer to succeed Ive.
A CEO who joined as a display designer
Ternus is an engineer who grew up within Apple. He joined the company in 2001 as part of the product design team for the Apple Cinema Display, became vice president of hardware engineering in 2013, and was promoted to senior vice president in 2021.
He became CEO on September 1, when former CEO Tim Cook stepped down to become chairman of the board. At his first keynote as CEO, design leaders were more prominently positioned by his side.
Whether an engineer-turned-CEO overseeing design will give Apple products greater consistency—and whether designers will still have enough freedom to challenge practical constraints—will be put to the test.