Apple iPhone and iPad designer - Jony Ive

Apple design guru Jony Ive has been awarded a knighthood by the Queen in the New Year Honours list in recognition for his work designing some of the world's most iconic devices such as the iPhone, iPad and iPod.

Ive, who was born in Chingford, has been with Apple for over 15 years, heading up the industrial design team. Over that period he developed a strong working relationship with Steve Jobs, who called him his "spiritual partner".

The British consul general in San Francisco, Priya Guha, said the award recognised the huge impact of Ive's work around the world and was a credit to the UK's cultural heritage.

"Through his design of the iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad, his work has transformed the lives of a generation of people, revolutionising the way people interact with technology," she said.

"He epitomises the strengths of British design and innovation."

Responding to the knighthood, Ive said he was both "humbled and sincerely grateful" to be recognised for his work and paid credit to his colleagues in Cupertino.

"I am keenly aware that I benefit from a wonderful tradition in the UK of designing and making," he said.

"I feel enormously fortunate that I continue to be able to design and make products with a truly remarkable group of people here at Apple."

Ive's knighthood was welcomed by Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic, who said Ive's work on some of the most successful consumer technology products of all time proved the importance of good design.

"Ive is the most gifted and successful designer of his generation, a man who has done as much as anybody to demonstrate that design matters," he said.