https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/8/16753794/apple-jony-ive-design-management-role-change

Jony Ive, technically Apple’s design chief since 2015, is once again assuming management control of the iPhone maker’s design team after two years in a largely hands-off role, according to a report from Bloomberg. Ive, responsible for the look and feel of Apple hardware throughout a majority of former CEO Steve Jobs’ revolutionary second run at the helm of the company in the late ‘90s and 2000s, was freed from much of his day-to-day management responsibilities in 2015, when he took on the chief design officer title. He still oversaw design, but other executives and employees on the team no longer reported to him.

At the time, the move was viewed as Ive, who is 50 years old, laying the groundwork to retire from his intensive position at Apple. However, it now appears that Ive is retaking control. Apple’s leadership webpage no longer lists Alan Dye, the vice president of user interface design, or Richard Howarth, vice president of industrial design, according to 9to5Mac. Both Dye and Howarth took on Ive’s management responsibilities when he stepped back two years ago.