Following the departure of former COO Jeff Williams, Apple CEO John Ternus has taken direct oversight of the company's industrial and human interface design teams. This transition began prior to his official appointment as CEO, as Ternus assumed these responsibilities during the leadership transition period.
Ternus maintains a high level of involvement in design operations, frequently visiting the design studios multiple times per week. This approach marks a significant shift from his predecessor Tim Cook, who reportedly visited the design studios approximately once a month.
The company has faced significant talent attrition, with key designers departing for firms such as Meta and OpenAI. In response, Ternus is focused on rebuilding the teams by promoting junior staff and recruiting new talent from external sources.
Apple currently has no plans to appoint a new Chief Design Officer to replace Jony Ive. Instead, Molly Anderson and Steve Lemay lead the industrial and human interface design divisions, respectively, while all final design decisions remain under the authority of John Ternus.
