History of Jony Ive in Timeline

Sir Jonathan Paul Ive is an English-American designer widely recognized for his tenure at Apple Inc., where he held the positions of senior vice president of industrial design and chief design officer. His design influence is seen in iconic Apple products. Since 2017, he has been serving as the chancellor of the Royal College of Art in London.

1961: Start of Dieter Rams' Influence at Braun

Dieter Rams began his tenure as chief designer at Braun in 1961, a role in which his design philosophy would significantly influence Jony Ive's later work.

February 1967: Birth of Jonathan Paul Ive

Jonathan Paul Ive was born in Chingford, London, United Kingdom in February 1967.

1985: Steve Jobs Leaves Apple

Steve Jobs departed from Apple in 1985.

1987: Meeting Heather Pegg

While attending Walton High School in Stafford in 1987, Ive crossed paths with Heather Pegg, a British writer who would later become his wife.

1988: Jony Ive Wins RSA Student Design Award

Jony Ive received the RSA Student Design Award in 1988.

1989: Jony Ive Graduates from Newcastle Polytechnic

Jony Ive successfully completed his studies in industrial design, earning a first-class Bachelor of Arts degree from Newcastle Polytechnic in 1989.

1989: Jony Ive Wins Second RSA Student Design Award

Jony Ive was awarded the RSA Student Design Award for the second time in 1989.

1990: Robert Brunner Attempts to Recruit Jony Ive to Apple

Robert Brunner, recognizing Jony Ive's talent, tried to recruit him to Apple in 1990.

September 1992: Jony Ive Officially Joins Apple

Jony Ive officially became a full-time employee at Apple in September 1992.

1992: Jony Ive Works on "Project Juggernaut" for Apple

Before formally joining Apple, Jony Ive worked on "Project Juggernaut" in 1992, exploring the potential of portable computers.

1994: First Appearance of Ive's Voice in Apple Marketing

Ive's voice, characterized by his Essex accent and understated delivery, was first featured in Apple's marketing and promotional videos in 1994.

1995: End of Rams' Tenure at Braun

Dieter Rams' time as chief designer at Braun concluded in 1995, but his design principles continued to resonate with designers like Ive.

1996: Steve Jobs Returns to Apple and Retains Jony Ive

Upon Steve Jobs' return to Apple in 1996, he convinced Jony Ive to stay with the company.

1997: Jony Ive Becomes Senior Vice President of Industrial Design at Apple

In 1997, Jony Ive's contributions and leadership in design earned him the promotion to Senior Vice President of Industrial Design at Apple.

1998: Launch of the iMac

Apple released the iMac in 1998, marking a significant milestone in computer design, with Jony Ive playing a key role in its creation.

2001: Adoption of Signature Look

Around the time of his promotion to Vice President of Industrial Design at Apple in 2001, Ive adopted his distinctive shaved head and closely trimmed beard style.

2004: Jony Ive Named Most Influential Person in British Culture

A BBC poll in 2004 recognized Jony Ive as the most influential figure in British culture.

2006: Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Ive was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2006, a significant honor recognizing his contributions to design.

January 2007: Jony Ive Makes First Public iPhone Call with Steve Jobs

Jony Ive participated in the first public phone call using the newly launched iPhone alongside Steve Jobs in January 2007.

2009: Rams' Recognition of Apple's Design Philosophy

In the 2009 documentary "Objectified," Dieter Rams acknowledged Apple as one of the few companies adhering to his ten principles of good design, highlighting Ive's influence in aligning Apple's products with those principles.

2009: Honorary Degree from the Royal College of Art

Ive received an honorary degree from the Royal College of Art (RCA) in 2009, recognizing his significant contributions to design.

2011: Jony Ive's Compensation Reported

Jony Ive's compensation, including a base salary and stock bonus, was publicly disclosed in 2011.

October 2012: Leadership Role at Apple

In October 2012, Jony Ive was given additional responsibilities at Apple, leading Human Interface design for the entire company.

2012: Knighted for Services to Design and Enterprise

In 2012, Ive's contributions to design and enterprise were further acknowledged with his knighthood, making him a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE).

2012: Jony Ive Becomes a Dual British-American Citizen

In 2012, Jony Ive obtained US citizenship, becoming a dual citizen of the UK and US.

2012: Purchase of San Francisco Home

Ive and his family purchased a residence in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, California, for US$17 million in 2012.

2013: Recognition for Distinctive Style

Ive's minimalist appearance, particularly his shaved head, earned him recognition in GQ's "100 Most Powerful Bald Men in the World" list in 2013.

2013: Senior Vice President of Design

With the announcement of iOS 7 in 2013, Ive's title at Apple was updated to Senior Vice President of Design, reflecting his expanded role.

March 2014: Jony Ive's Inspiration for Design

A March 2014 interview revealed that Jony Ive's passion for car design during his teenage years led him to pursue a career in design.

2014: Reflections on Work-Life Balance

In 2014, Ive shared his perspective on work-life balance, mentioning that if his work at Apple ever declined, he would prioritize personal projects and spending time with loved ones.

2014: Jony Ive Describes His Rapport with Steve Jobs

Jony Ive shared insights into his close working relationship with Steve Jobs in 2014, highlighting their shared vision and approach to design.

May 2015: Chief Design Officer

Ive's role at Apple continued to grow, and in May 2015, he was promoted to Chief Design Officer (CDO), one of the highest executive positions in the company.

2015: Jony Ive Becomes Apple's Chief Design Officer

In 2015, Jony Ive was promoted to Chief Design Officer at Apple.

June 2016: Honorary Doctorates from Cambridge and Oxford

Ive received honorary doctorates from both the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford in June 2016, recognizing his immense contributions to design and technology.

May 2017: Appointment as Chancellor of the RCA

In May 2017, Jony Ive was appointed Chancellor of the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London, effective July 1, 2017, succeeding Sir James Dyson.

May 2017: Jony Ive Joins the Royal College of Art

Jony Ive was invited to lead the Royal College of Art in May 2017 for a five-year term.

July 2017: Commencement of Chancellorship at the RCA

Ive officially assumed the role of Chancellor at the RCA in July 2017, taking on administrative and leadership responsibilities for the college.

December 2017: Resumption of Direct Responsibilities

After a brief period of focusing on other aspects of design leadership, Ive returned to directly overseeing Apple's product design in December 2017.

2017: Jony Ive Becomes Chancellor of the Royal College of Art

In 2017, Jony Ive took on the role of chancellor at the Royal College of Art in London.

2018: Jony Ive Receives the Hawking Fellowship

Jony Ive was honored with the prestigious Hawking Fellowship from the Cambridge Union Society in 2018.

June 2019: Departure from Apple and Founding of LoveFrom

In June 2019, Ive announced his departure from Apple to start his own design firm, LoveFrom, with fellow designer Marc Newson. LoveFrom would initially work with Apple as its primary client.

June 2019: Jony Ive Announces Departure from Apple and Founding of LoveFrom

In June 2019, Jony Ive shared his decision to leave Apple and establish his own design company, LoveFrom, alongside Marc Newson.

July 2019: Jony Ive Departs from Apple

After many years at Apple, Jony Ive left the company in July 2019.

2019: Estimated Net Worth Revealed

The Sunday Times Rich List in 2019 estimated Jony Ive's net worth to be around £192 million.

October 2021: LoveFrom Website Launch

LoveFrom, known for its secretive nature, launched a minimalist website in October 2021.

2021: Jony Ive Collaborates with Ferrari

The Agnelli family brought Jony Ive on board to work on Ferrari designs in 2021.

May 2022: End of Jony Ive's Term at the Royal College of Art

Jony Ive's tenure as head of the Royal College of Art concluded in May 2022.

July 2022: End of Consulting Agreement with Apple

Ive's professional relationship with Apple officially ended in July 2022 when the consulting agreement between Apple and LoveFrom concluded.

January 2023: Continuation as Chancellor of the RCA

Ive remained in his position as Chancellor of the Royal College of Art as of January 2023.

2023: Collaborations and Design Projects

In 2023, Ive and LoveFrom engaged in various collaborations. Ive designed a foldable red nose for Comic Relief and the emblem for King Charles III's coronation. LoveFrom also began working with other brands, including Ferrari and Airbnb.

2023: Redesign of the Red Nose and Coronation Emblem

In 2023, Ive redesigned the Red Nose for Comic Relief's fundraising efforts and created the emblem for the coronation of King Charles III, incorporating natural symbols and reflecting the King's environmental concerns.

2023: Launch of LoveFrom Scholarship Program

LoveFrom launched a scholarship program in 2023 aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion within the design industry, supporting design students from various backgrounds.

2024: Potential Partnership with OpenAI

Reports emerged in 2024 suggesting that LoveFrom was collaborating with OpenAI on hardware focused on artificial intelligence, although details remained limited.