‘Nothing essentially changes’ with Jony Ive gone at Apple

Investors shouldn’t worry about Apple’s future as long-time design chief Jony Ive leaves the company, Loup Ventures Managing Partner Gene Munster told CNBC on Friday.

Apple’s stock dipped about 1% during after-hours trading Thursday after the Financial Times released an exclusive interview with Ive announcing his departure. Ive has been credited with some of Apple’s most iconic designs over his 27 years with the company, including the iPhone, iPod and Apple Watch.

Munster said investors should expect a smooth transition as Evans Hankey, vice president of Industrial Design, and Alan Dye, vice president of Human Interface Design, take on additional responsibilities to fill Ive’s role.

“This has been in the works since 2015, so I think investors should feel comfortable that the design expertise of Apple is in great shape here,” Munster said in a “Squawk Box ” interview. “Nothing essentially changes.”

That’s in part because Ive has been inching his way out of Apple for several years. Since the Apple Watch launched in 2015, Ive has reduced his face time in the office, coming in as few as two days a week, according to Bloomberg.

Because of that, Munster doesn’t expect the new design leads to mark a shift from the status quo.

“The core three people have essentially been doing the design for the three years, so effectively investors should feel confident that the design road map is in tact,” Munster said.

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