Apple is undergoing organizational changes, primarily affecting its design team. Later this year, the team will no longer work under current Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, but will report directly to CEO Tim Cook. The decision is part of a larger restructuring that Apple officially announced today.
When you think of Apple, you think of design. Products like the iPhone, the Mac, or the Apple Watch are known not only for their technology, but above all for their design. This design is no coincidence, but rather the result of decades of leadership work and strategic decisions within the company. Now, something fundamental is changing at the top of the design team. And this is directly related to Jeff Williams' impending retirement.
Jeff Williams hands over COO role to Sabih Khan
Jeff Williams will retire later this year. He will be succeeded as Chief Operating Officer by Sabih Khan, currently Senior Vice President of Operations. This transition is part of a long-term succession strategy and will take place in July. Williams will remain with Apple until his full retirement and will continue to report directly to CEO Tim Cook.
Design team under new leadership
In addition to his role as COO, Williams was also in charge of Apple's design team. He took on this role in 2019 after then-Chief Design Officer Jony Ive left Apple to start his own design firm, LoveFrom. At that time, Williams assumed responsibility for the entire design team, with Evans Hankey (Industrial Design) and Alan Dye (Human Interface Design) reporting directly to him. Evans Hankey left Apple in 2023 and has since been working with Jony Ive and OpenAI on an as-yet-undisclosed hardware project . Following their departure, the position of Chief of Industrial Design at Apple was not filled. Instead, Jeff Williams took over full leadership of the industrial design team. Now that Williams is also leaving later this year, Apple's design team will have a new reporting line: directly to CEO Tim Cook. Apple has confirmed that this change will implement with Williams' retirement.
What happens with the Apple Watch and health initiatives?
In addition to design, Jeff Williams was previously responsible for the development of the Apple Watch and Apple's overall health initiatives. He will retain these responsibilities until his final retirement. Apple has not yet announced who will take over leadership of these areas afterward.
Apple positions design at the top level again
Apple is adjusting its leadership structure. With Jeff Williams' planned departure, a realignment is taking place, with the design team reporting directly to Tim Cook. This is a remarkable step, especially considering the importance of design to Apple's identity. Williams will remain in charge of health and Apple Watch for the time being. Who will take over is still open. These changes are not a short-term reaction, but part of a long-term succession plan. For Apple, this means a stable transition into a new phase in which design will continue to play a central role—but now closer to the top of the company. (Image: Apple)
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