SAN FRANCISCO — Jony Ive, Apple’s chief design officer and one of the most influential executives in the history of the Silicon Valley giant, is leaving the company.

Mr. Ive will depart this year to start his own design company, Apple said on Thursday. Through his new firm, LoveFrom, Mr. Ive will continue to work on a wide range of Apple products, the company said.

“Jony is a singular figure in the design world, and his role in Apple’s revival cannot be overstated,” Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, said in a statement.

Mr. Ive, who has worked at Apple for nearly three decades, was responsible for the look and feel of many iconic Apple products, including the iPhone and the iMac. He also helped design Apple’s new headquarters, a futuristic, flying-saucerlike glass building that has become one of the most distinctive structures in Silicon Valley.