Rivian Chief Engineer Charles Sanderson Returns To McLaren As CTO

McLaren Automotive has revealed that it has appointed three new members to its executive management board. One of them is Charles Sanderson, who left McLaren to join Rivian Automotive. Sanderson was the company's head of software development when he left the British automaker in 2018. In Rivian, he was vice president of vehicle integration and development and became the company's chief engineer in 2019.

With the recent appointment, Sanderson is back at McLaren as its Chief Technical Officer. Sanderson will be leading the automaker's new technology roadmap and product innovation strategy, McLaren said in a press release.

Sanderson's decision to leave Rivian was said to be of his own volition, according to the company's spokesperson talking to Automotive News. However, it came at a time when Rivian is having troubles with its production and several top-level executives had been leaving their posts.

Apart from Sanderson, key members of the EV startup that left were Randy Frank, who served as the vice president of body and interior engineering, and Steve Gawronski, who was the vice president in charge of parts purchasing and supply chain. Both executives have been with Rivian for a significant amount of time and departed in early 2023.

Meanwhile, other executive appointments at McLaren include Jorg Laser and Emmanuele Raveglia.

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Jorg Laser, an experienced professional in purchasing, logistics, and supplier quality in the global automotive industry, has recently been appointed as the company's new chief procurement officer (CPO). He has previously worked with companies such as General Motors, MAN Trucks, Autoliv, and WayRay AG.

Emmanuele Raveglia has been appointed as the vehicle line executive director. Before joining McLaren, Raveglia worked at Ferrari as the vehicle line director for the F8 Tributo, 488 Pista, and the Purosangue.

Michael Leiters, CEO of McLaren, expressed his delight in securing the services of three experienced industry professionals. He believes that their knowledge, skills, and backgrounds will be invaluable in delivering the organization's Future of Performance strategy.

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