LONDON.- The British Museum has announced that Sir Jony Ive has been appointed to its Board of Trustees.

As one of the most influential tech leaders in the world, Jony brings with him over 30 years' experience from across the design world.


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The London-born British designer is best known for his work at Apple, as Chief Design Officer, where he led the team that designed the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.

In 2019 Jony founded the design collective LoveFrom, whose work has included creating the emblem for the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. In 2024 he co-founded io – a company focused on developing AI-enabled products. It was recently announced that io will merge with OpenAI.


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With the British Museum building momentum on its Masterplan – arguably the biggest cultural renovation project ever undertaken – and cultural institutions everywhere grappling with how to use digital technologies to enhance visitor experience, Sir Jony's experience and perspective will be especially valuable and welcome.
Quotes

Sir Jony Ive, said: 'It is an extraordinary honour to join the Board of Trustees of the British Museum. I have adored the Museum since I first visited as a child over fifty years ago. It is a remarkable and singular institution that ultimately fosters curiosity and understanding across cultures and time.

'Like most designers, I am a keen historian and the British Museum is a masterpiece of public cultural experience. I am thrilled to be working with such a wonderful team, and look forward to supporting the Museum's appropriately ambitious Masterplan for transformation.'

George Osborne, Chair of the British Museum Trustees, said: 'We're incredibly fortunate to have one of the founders of the modern age join our board. Jony Ive fuses design and technology in a way that has changed our world – and with his work at the frontier of AI, continues to do so. For a British Museum that wants to lead in bringing great design and the latest technology together as we transform our galleries, there is no one on earth better equipped to help us than Jony.'

The British Museum Board comprises up to 25 members, 15 appointed by the Prime Minister, one by The Crown, four by relevant industry bodies and a further 5 appointed by the Trustees; this appointment comes from the latter and Sir Jony will take up his role immediately.

Jony Ive is a designer. Born in London, he moved to California in 1992 to join Apple. As Chief Design Officer, he was responsible for the design of hardware, user interface, packaging and major architectural projects. Steve Jobs described Jony as his spiritual partner saying, 'the difference that Jony has made not only at Apple but in the world is huge'. Their unique partnership defined a profound and enduring cultural legacy.

Jony led the design of iconic and category-defining products including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. He holds more than 14,300 design and utility patents, uniquely spanning both hardware and software. He was awarded the Royal Society of Arts Benjamin Franklin Medal in 2004, and was described as 'one of the most influential individuals in modern technology' when presented with the Professor Stephen Hawking Fellowship in 2019.

Jony holds honorary doctorates from distinguished universities including Cambridge, Oxford and the Royal College of Art, where he currently serves as Chancellor. He was knighted at Buckingham Palace in 2012. In 2019 he founded the creative collective LoveFrom with his friend and fellow designer Marc Newson. In 2024 he co-founded io, an engineering and product development company committed to creating AI-enabled products, in close collaboration with both LoveFrom and OpenAI.

Jony lives and works with his family in San Francisco.



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