Apple design head Jony Ive made chancellor of London's Royal College of Art

Apple's chief design officer, Jonathan Ive, has been made chancellor of London's renowned Royal College of Art, a position which will divert some of his attention away from the company.

Ive will start in his new role in July, replacing famous engineer Sir James Dyson, Business Insider reported. The position involves a five-year unpaid term in which Ive will preside over meetings and help run the college.

"I am thrilled to formalise my relationship with the RCA, given the profound influence the college has had on so many of the artists and designers that I admire," Ive said in a statement. "Our design team includes many RCA alumni, who embody the fundamental values of the college. I look forward to advising both the college and students, hoping that my experience proves useful in their work."

Ive holds an honorary doctorate from the RCA among many other British honors. He has similar doctorates from Oxford and Cambridge, and was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2006, then a Knight Commander in a 2012 Honours list.

While often credited as the force behind the design of Apple's biggest products, he handed off some or most of his direct involvement when he was promoted to chief design officer in May 2015. Alan Dye is now in charge of User Interface Design, while Richard Howarth occupies Ive's one-time position as VP of Industrial Design.

Past reports have suggested that Ive wants to spend more time in his homeland, which the chancellorship will require.