Apple loses designer who worked in Jony Ive's core team

Duncan Kerr, a designer who has been a part of Apple's journey since the late 1990s is now departing, marking another loss for the design team in a relatively short span of time.

In February, Apple lost designer Bart Andre, who had been with the company since 1992. He was Apple's longest-serving industrial designer.

On Wednesday, it was learned that Kerr would also be departing, though his plans are currently unknown. Kerr had worked at Apple since 1999 and was heavily involved in developing several generations of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

As Bloomberg points out, there aren't many of Ive's original team left. Since Ive's departure in 2019, designers Jody Akana, Anthony Ashcroft, Jeremy Bataillou, Joe Tan, Eugene Whang, and Andrea Williams have left the Cupertino-based company.

According to reports, there is a feeling of unease among employees due to the recent changes in leadership at Apple. Jeff Williams has taken over as the head of the design team and has allegedly introduced cost-cutting measures, which have caused some concern. In addition, there have been rumors that Apple has scaled back on its exploratory projects, which were a hallmark of previous design lead, Jony Ive.

However, some of these designers have been at Apple for more than 25 years. The recent departures are more likely about retirement more than dissatisfaction, given the ages of those involved.

For others, it may be greener pastures. Some of the core team have left to work for LoveFrom, Ive's new design company.

Currently, only a handful of Ive's original team are left at Apple. This includes Richard Howarth, Ben Schaffer, and Molly Anderson.

15 Comments

9secondkox2 3134 comments · 8 Years

About 6 months ago

I doubt it’s about retirement.

When you’re doing something you love snd something you’re good at, you want to do it forever - especially if you’re paid to do it!

sounds like personnel conflict. Some “new” guy coming in snd “wrecking everything” isn't going to sit well. After a while, you get tired of it snd decide it’s no longer fun, no longer feels important and not worth it any longer.

Designers are some of the most passionate, opinionated, curious, and driven people on the planet.

When you kill the passion, don’t care about their discourse, limit exploration, and just hand out paint-by-numbers projects, you kill the drive.

Then you lose the designer.

Jeff Williams is not a design guy. Whoever appointed him in that role needs to be checked. Jeff is an ops guy.

Being that Apple lives and breathes by design, they’d better sort that out quick.

IVE ESTABLISHED AN AMAZING FRAMEWORK THST HAS NOT ONLY PROVEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST SMD PRESENT, BUT IS BUILT ON TIMELESS PRINCIPLES WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO BLOSSOM IN THE FUTURE.

you break that and you’re in trouble.

The new iPad pro is a masterclass in design. Looks like something Ive would have done. Hopefully they don’t lose too many folks that are equipped with that kind of talent and vision.

Marvin 15337 comments · 18 Years

About 6 months ago

9secondkox2 said:

I doubt it’s about retirement.
When you’re doing something you love snd something you’re good at, you want to do it forever - especially if you’re paid to do it!

Very few people want to be an employee forever, least of all people who are financially able to retire, when they could be spending their entire time on their own projects. Bart Andre retired:

https://macdailynews.com/2024/02/14/apples-longest-serving-designer-bart-andre-retiring-from-company/

Some have family that they want to spend more time with.

Apple doesn't have many new design challenges left. The mobiles and wearables are all screens now. The laptops are nearly perfectly designed.

They still need a strong design team for their newer products like Vision Pro but they will have trained a new generation of designers.

M68000 880 comments · 7 Years

About 6 months ago

Marvin said:

9secondkox2 said:

I doubt it’s about retirement.
When you’re doing something you love snd something you’re good at, you want to do it forever - especially if you’re paid to do it!

Very few people want to be an employee forever, least of all people who are financially able to retire, when they could be spending their entire time on their own projects. Bart Andre retired:

https://macdailynews.com/2024/02/14/apples-longest-serving-designer-bart-andre-retiring-from-company/

Some have family that they want to spend more time with.

Apple doesn't have many new design challenges left. The mobiles and wearables are all screens now. The laptops are nearly perfectly designed.

They still need a strong design team for their newer products like Vision Pro but they will have trained a new generation of designers.

With all due respect, i tend to agree with comments from 9secondkox2. To me, Apple seems to be a bit different company with Jony gone.

also, you said “Apple does not have many new design challenges left”. What ? That does not sound good for future in Cupertino.

newisneverenough 46 comments · 6 Years

About 6 months ago

I don’t think the particular individuals matter so much. New designers are a good thing and will inevitably happen. The concerning part is that a company built on great design apparently thinks cost cutting in the design department is a wonderful idea. That is worrisome. I’d also like to be hearing that there are lots of exploratory projects happening there. If the leadership believes they are just delivering widgets to consumers then Apple will gradually slip downward, and be indistinguishable from other tech companies. I’m hoping they are smarter than that.