Rivian Automotive Inc. tapped retail and automotive veteran Greg Revelle as its first Chief Customer Officer on January 12, 2026, signaling a sharp focus on sales and service ahead of the crucial R2 SUV launch. Effective immediately, Revelle steps into a newly created role overseeing the full customer journey—from marketing and sales to operations—as the electric-vehicle maker races to scale amid softening demand and mounting losses.

Revelle arrives from Revatek, the energy-storage startup he founded in 2024 to power off-grid adventures, which he recently shuttered, according to Auto Remarketing. His resume spans executive stints at Kohl’s as senior executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Best Buy as chief marketing officer, AutoNation as chief marketing officer and e-commerce general manager, and Expedia as vice president of worldwide online marketing. A Harvard Business School MBA and Princeton economics graduate, Revelle has served on Cars.com’s board since 2017, per Eletric Vehicles.

“We are excited that Greg is bringing his deep experience across eCommerce, marketing and automotive to Rivian,” said CEO RJ Scaringe in the announcement. “Greg has a proven track record of leading large teams in a dynamic environment.”

Rivian’s High-Stakes Pivot

The hire comes as Rivian grapples with production of 10,974 vehicles and 9,745 deliveries in Q4 2025, alongside a recall of nearly 20,000 R1 models for rear toe-link issues, as noted by Yahoo Finance. With a market cap hovering around $23.56 billion and more cash than debt, Rivian eyes the R2—a five-passenger midsize SUV priced under $50,000—to drive volume starting mid-2026 from its Normal, Illinois plant.

Revelle’s mandate covers go-to-market strategy for consumer and commercial lines, including Amazon’s electric delivery vans. This centralizes functions previously scattered, following CEO Scaringe’s interim chief marketing officer role amid 2025 layoffs, reported by WardsAuto.

“Rivian’s commitment to AI and software-defined vehicles is something I’ve admired for a while,” Revelle said. “The company has built versatile, intuitive vehicles that solve real-world needs for customers, seamlessly bridging the gap between daily utility and outdoor adventure.”

From Retail Giant to EV Frontier

At Kohl’s, Revelle drove data-driven personalization and loyalty programs as senior EVP and CMO from 2017, per Brand Innovators. Earlier, as Best Buy’s CMO starting in 2014, he handled branding across stores and online, building on his AutoNation tenure where he led marketing for the U.S.’s largest auto retailer and pioneered e-commerce.

His Expedia role honed digital marketing at scale, complemented by investment banking at Credit Suisse, as detailed on Crunchbase. This blend positions him to tackle Rivian’s direct-sales model in 25 states, battling dealer laws like Ohio’s, which Rivian challenged in court last year per TechCrunch.

Cars.com board service offers insights into online auto marketplaces, vital as Rivian expands service centers and adventures like national parks tie-ins.

R2 Ramp and Market Pressures

Rivian’s R2, on a new midsize platform shared with upcoming R3, targets mass-market buyers with performance rivaling pricier R1 models. Validation units rolled out from Normal recently, on track for H1 2026 deliveries, amid Volkswagen’s $5 billion joint venture for software and architecture.

Yet challenges loom: Q3 2025 deliveries beat expectations but cash burn persists post-layoffs of 4% of staff. Revelle inherits a direct model streamlining ownership but strained by service backlogs and a recent toe-link recall, as flagged by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration via Investing.com.

Analysts see the CCO role as key to converting R2 reservations into sales, boosting U.S. revenue where Rivian trails Tesla but leads adventure EVs.

Executive Shuffle Signals Scale

Past reshuffles—Scaringe assuming product duties in 2023, hiring ex-Porsche exec Kjell Gruner as prior CCO in 2023 per Electrek—underscore Rivian’s evolution. Recent board shifts, like Rose Marcario’s exit, refocus on growth, per TechCrunch.

Revelle’s outdoor focus via Revatek aligns with Rivian’s ethos, potentially fueling accessories and FleetOS for Amazon fleets. His e-commerce chops could enhance Rivian’s app and voice AI, praised by chief software officer Wassym Bensaid.

As Rivian eyes profitability, Revelle’s track record scaling Best Buy’s omnichannel and AutoNation’s digital shift offers a blueprint for R2’s mass appeal.

Investor Eyes on Execution

Shares reacted tepidly to the hire amid Q4 output below 2025 targets, but with $10 billion cash runway, focus shifts to R2 pricing and demand. Revelle must navigate tariffs, China competition, and Tesla’s Model Y dominance, where Scaringe urges differentiation.

For industry watchers, this appointment marks Rivian’s bid to master customer retention in EVs’ maturing arena, blending retail savvy with automotive grit.