Rivian Manufacturing Chief to Depart in Management Shuffle

Ed Ludlow and Keith Naughton, Bloomberg News

Rivian R1T electric vehicle (EV) pickup trucks on the assembly line at the company's manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois, US., on Monday, April 11, 2022. Rivian Automotive Inc. produced 2,553 vehicles in the first quarter as the maker of plug-in trucks contended with a snarled supply chain and pandemic challenges. , Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- Rivian Automotive Inc. is shuffling its executive ranks, including the departure of its manufacturing chief, in an effort to help the Amazon.com Inc.-backed company overcome growing pains.

The automaker is parting ways with its head of manufacturing, Charly Mwangi, CEO R.J. Scaringe said in an internal email viewed by Bloomberg News. Rivian’s new chief operations officer, former Magna International Inc. executive Frank Klein, will start on June 1, Scaringe said.

The reorganization calls for splitting the commercial business, which includes delivery vans made for Amazon, from the retail side of the company that produces the R1T plug-in pickup truck and R1S sport-utility vehicle.

“This is an important time for our growing business, all of which is happening in an extremely challenging environment,” Scaringe wrote. “We are well-positioned for long-term success, but we must continuously evaluate how we operate.”

Under the changes, many of Rivian’s senior manufacturing, engineering and supply chain personnel will report to COO Klein.

Rivian has struggled with supply shortages and manufacturing snafus since it began building its new products late last year. The electric vehicle startup was touted as a competitor to Tesla Inc. and became the largest initial public offering last year. But its shares have fallen more than 70% this year as it has suffered a series of miscues.

Mwangi, who had previously worked as an engineering executive at Tesla Inc., couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Forest Young, Rivian’s global brand chief, will now report directly in to Scaringe. Rivian has positioned its brand as the Patagonia of electric vehicles -- an Earth-friendly company that targets families seeking adventure. But the company’s also had reputational problems, most prominently an embarrassing series of price hike U-turns in March, which hurt the stock and the company’s image with some customers.

Rivian shares rose 7.1% to $31.30 at 10:19 a.m. in New York, part of a wider market rally on encouraging US economic data.

(Updates with memo details from fifth paragraph)