Rivian, the publicly traded electric vehicle (EV) maker, has announced a leadership shake-up with CEO RJ Scaringe taking on the role of Chief Product Officer. This development comes as Nick Kalayjian, the previous Chief Product Officer, transitions into an advisory position within the company.
Key Takeaway
Rivian’s CEO RJ Scaringe has assumed the role of Chief Product Officer, taking charge of all product development at the EV maker. This move aims to strengthen Rivian’s focus on quality and accelerate the company’s expansion into the mass market. As Rivian continues to disrupt the automotive industry, the new leadership team aims to propel the company’s next-generation platform, Peregrine, and deliver more affordable EVs.
Scaringe’s Expanded Role
As the founder and CEO, RJ Scaringe will now be responsible for overseeing all product development at Rivian. This new role is of great importance as Rivian aims to introduce more affordable EVs and expand its presence in the mass market. Scaringe’s leadership will be instrumental in driving the company’s next-generation platform, known as “Peregrine,” which will be utilized across all Rivian’s vehicles, including the R1, R2, and electric delivery van.
Kalayjian Transitioning to Advisory Role
Nick Kalayjian will take on the position of Executive Vice President of Vehicle Engineering and Propulsion and will continue to report to Scaringe. However, his primary focus will shift towards the development of the Peregrine platform. Eventually, Kalayjian will transition into a product and technology advisory role, providing strategic guidance to Rivian.
In an internal email to employees, Scaringe emphasized the importance of quality across the company and expressed his confidence in Kalayjian’s abilities as a visionary product leader. Kalayjian also expressed his excitement about the change, stating that Scaringe’s increased involvement with the product teams will bring significant value to employees and shareholders alike.
Additional Changes in the Executive Team
Alongside these leadership changes, other adjustments are being made within the executive team at Rivian. Richard Farquhar, who currently serves as Vice President of Propulsion, will be assuming a new role as Senior Vice President of Future R&D upon his return next year. Farquhar will report directly to Scaringe. Brad Thacker and Georgios Sarakakis, who lead the quality and reliability teams, will also report directly to Scaringe.
Furthermore, Paul Frey, who leads the charging, energy, and adventure products, will now be taking on the responsibility of overseeing battery development as well, while still reporting to Kalayjian. Silva Hiti, Senior Director of Electric Power Conversion, and Henry Huang, Senior Director of Power and Thermal Engineering, will continue to report to Kalayjian directly.
