According to media reports, Kjell Gruner, the head of sales at electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian, will be leaving the company after 11 months to pursue other opportunities, according to a regulatory filing. Before joining Rivian, Gruner was an executive at Porsche.
In July 2023, Gruner resigned as CEO of Porsche Cars North America, a position he held for less than three years. Following his departure from Porsche, he was hired by Rivian.
In a filing submitted by Rivian on July 26, the company stated that Gruner had informed them on July 24 of his decision to resign "to pursue other opportunities." Gruner started working at Rivian in September 2023.
Rivian stated, "Gruner's resignation is not due to any disagreements with the company on business, policy, or practices." His resignation took effect on July 26.
Gruner's full title was Chief Commercial Officer and President of Business Growth. Rivian mentioned that he would remain with the company until February 17, 2025, "to assist with the transition as needed."
Rivian said, "Dagan Mishoulam will assume the role of Senior Vice President of Commercial and take on many of Dr. Gruner's previous responsibilities. Dagan has played an indispensable role in the company over the past few years." Gruner holds a Ph.D. in Marketing.
On July 26, Gruner posted an article on LinkedIn listing several achievements during his tenure leading sales at the startup. In the article, Gruner stated, "Together, we built a direct-to-consumer marketing function, assembled a dynamic sales team, opened new showrooms, broke sales and delivery records, and most importantly, enhanced the overall customer experience, including delivery and service."
Additionally, Gruner mentioned Rivian's business partnership with the Volkswagen Group, announced in June this year.
