Apple’s design team is experiencing another departure, this time from Duncan Kerr, a key member of Jony Ive’s team. Kerr, who joined Apple in 1999, has played a vital role in shaping the iconic devices we know today.
As Kerr notifies Apple of his impending departure, it adds to the list of designers who have left the team since Ive’s departure in 2019. The trend includes notable names like Jody Akana, Joe Tan, and Anthony Ashcroft, among others.
Despite Apple declining to comment on Kerr’s exit, it highlights a growing trend within the design team. Even Evans Hankey, Ive’s successor as head of industrial design, left last year. This ongoing shuffle has led many former Apple designers to join LoveFrom, Ive’s new design venture.
The dwindling of Apple’s design team has sparked concerns about its reporting structure to Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams instead of a design-focused manager. This shift has caused dissatisfaction among artists and sculptors within the team.
With key figures leaving and challenges in replacing them directly, Apple faces obstacles in maintaining its renowned design legacy. Stay tuned for more updates on how this ongoing brain drain will impact Apple’s future innovations.
