With the anticipated "the downfall of Apple begins!" comments that will accompany this story, I'm trying to fathom what the comments will be when Jony Ive eventually leaves...
And then the 20,000 employees of Apple corporate will walk around in a daze and then collapse to the floor and curl up and die because obviously they couldn't possibly understand what makes Apple special or be a part of how it works or be a critical factor in the success of the most successful consumer electronics business of all time.
I understand your point, but actual work experience at large companies suggests to me that regardless of whether you have talented soldiers in your company, if the very top folks are mediocre or fragmented or demoralizing then it can cause the entire company to perform at a worse level, and to degrade over time. Bad decisions flow downhill.
