Xbox head of design August de los Reyes joins Pinterest

De los Reyes has been a wheelchair user since an accident in 2013 and is a keen proponent of inclusive design.

De los Reyes speaking at TedxOverlake in 2011
De los Reyes speaking at TedxOverlake in 2011

August de los Reyes, head of design at Microsoft Xbox, is joining Pinterest as design manager.

According to Co.design, de los Reyes – who has headed up Xbox design since 2013 – was approached to join Pinterest by co-founder Evan Sharp.

De los Reyes has been a wheelchair-user since an accident in 2013 when he fell out of bed and damaged his spinal cord.

A profile piece in Co.design from earlier this year describes how the accident led de los Reyes to take a keen interest in inclusive design and building products for people with disabilities and how he has led a drive to make Microsoft’s design’s accessible to all people.

The designer says he is keen to continue this drive at Pinterest, saying: “One of my plans, for the end of my career, is to leave some sort of legacy. Whether it’s to my employer, or to the design industry at large.”

Pinterest says de los Reyes will work on “the core Pinterest experience” in his new role.

De los Reyes’s move to Pinterest comes after the company recruited graphic designer Susan Kare – who was one of Apple’s first employees – as product design lead last year.

Kare created icons, graphics and typefaces for the original Mac operating system.

Pinterest’s Evan Sharp said of the hire: “As one of the small group of people who helped invent and popularise the graphical user interface, Susan’s contributions to this industry are immeasurable.

“More exciting for us, though, are her current and future contributions at Pinterest. We’re always looking for that rare intersection of talent and humility.”

Discover more:

Apple design icon Susan Kare joins Pinterest

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