Dive Brief:
- Kjell Gruner, Rivian’s chief commercial officer and president of business growth, has resigned to pursue other opportunities, the electric vehicle maker disclosed in a securities filing on Friday.
- Gruner joined Rivian in September 2023, to manage the company’s sales, marketing, customer care, delivery service and fleet. He previously served as the president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America.
- “With the commercial team now firmly in place, it is the right moment for me to transition to the next chapter of my career,” Gruner said in a LinkedIn post. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to Rivian’s success and am confident in the team’s ability to achieve even greater milestones in the future.”
Dive Insight:
Rivian promoted Dagan Mishoulam to SVP of commercial, according to the filing. He has played an integral role at the automaker in his eight-year tenure, the company said.
Mishoulam, formerly VP of strategy and go to market, will assume many of Gruner’s responsibilities. Gruner will remain employed at Rivian until Feb. 17, 2025, to assist with the transition.
In his LinkedIn post, Gruner highlighted Rivian’s recent multibillion-dollar partnership with Volkswagen Group.
“The partnership with the VW Group including fantastic brands like Porsche and Audi is also a significant milestone in Rivian's history that deserves recognition,” he said, noting that he is now ready to “climb the next mountain.”
The CCO transition is the latest in a string of executive changes for Rivian in recent months:
- The company hired former Meta and Amazon executive Jennifer Prenner to lead its marketing efforts earlier this year.
- In May, the EV maker announced Volvo Cars Chief Operating Officer Javier Varela as its next COO. Varela succeeded Frank Klein, who had served as Rivian’s COO since June 2022.
- Earlier this month, the company disclosed Jeffrey Baker, chief accounting officer, resigned to pursue another opportunity. Rivian CFO Claire McDonough is serving as the company’s interim principal accounting officer while it searches for Baker’s replacement.
