Apple has promoted Sir Jonathan Ive to a new role as chief design officer, in a move that will consolidate the British designer’s hold on the direction of new products at the world’s most valuable company.

Sir Jonathan was given combined duties for both hardware and software design in an executive reshuffle in 2012, but will relinquish day-to-day managerial responsibility for those two teams to Richard Howarth, vice-president of industrial design, and Alan Dye, vice-president of user interface design, respectively.

“In this new role, he will focus entirely on current design projects, new ideas and future initiatives,” Apple said. The new position acknowledges an ongoing expansion of his role beyond its devices and into designing Apple’s retail stores and new Cupertino campus, right down to its office furniture.