Samsung's New Design Head Is From Apple Designer Jony Ive's Former Firm

By Kamal Nayan - 16 Jan '15 00:21AM

Samsung has hired a new design leader who is from Tangerine - the design firm founded by Apple's senior VP of design Jony Ive. Lee Don-tae will be the new global design team leader who used to be co-president of Tangerine.

Reportedly, Lee started his new job earlier this month who will look after the designs of all its consumer products including Galaxy smartphones.

Lee is best known for designing the idea of British Airways' "Club World" seating that has a unique S-shaped arrangement. The design won the Interior Design Excellence Awards' Grand Prix in 2001. He has also worked on projects like solar streetlights and electronic car charging stations.

He is also a design professor at a local college in South Korea.

However, this is not the first time Lee is working with Samsung. Earlier he was a design master at Samsung C&T, company's engineering and construction group.

Shares of Samsung is being squeezed by Apple and Xiaomi. The smartphone maker saw profits drop 37 percent for the holiday quarter 2014. Reportedly the company is seeking new approach to design, which is apparent from recent product launches.