LONDON — Sir Jonathan Ive, Apple’s chief design officer, has been tapped as the Royal College of Art‘s new chancellor. The college has confirmed the appointment, and said the five-year term would take effect in July.
Ive will replace the British inventor James Dyson. He will oversee meetings and take part in the institution’s governing body. He will also advise the school on digital initiatives pertaining to computer science, the effects of the digital economy and advance manufacturing. He will also be involved in the construction of the school’s new building in Battersea, which is slated to launch in 2020.
“As chancellor, Jony embodies the RCA’s ideals of technology and design excellence, inspiring students and staff,” said Paul Thompson, rector of the Royal College of Art, adding that Ive will enable the college “to educate the next generation of world-leading artists and designers.”
At Apple, Ive oversees the aesthetic and experience of the products, ranging from hardware and packaging to user interface. He is also involved in the development of Apple Park, the company’s California campus. He owns more than 5,000 patents and received an honorary doctorate from RCA in 2009. Among his list of accolades includes a CBE in 2006 and a KBE in the 2012 New Year’s Honors list. He also holds honorary doctorates from Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
Gail Rebuck will remain the chair of council and will be pro-chancellor of the school. Former students of the institution include Christopher Bailey, Alice Temperley, Philip Treacy, Julien Macdonald and Ossie Clark.