Rivian CEO takes top marketing role in shakeup ahead of R2 launch

Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe is assuming the interim role of chief marketing officer as part of a company restructuring ahead of the 2026 launch of the R2 SUV. This shift coincides with a layoff of over 600 employees, marking the third round of cuts this year and following a 10% workforce reduction in early 2024. Scaringe communicated to employees that these changes, which reduce the team size by roughly 4.5%, are necessary to profitably scale the business amid a challenging operating environment, including the loss of the federal EV tax credit, increased tariffs, and broader headwinds against clean energy initiatives in the U.S. In addition to Scaringe’s new marketing responsibilities, Rivian is reorganizing its customer experience operations by merging the vehicle operations team with the service division and placing delivery and mobile operations under sales. These structural adjustments aim to streamline the purchase and delivery process, providing customers with a more seamless and unified sales experience. The company