Dr. Kjell Gruner is rumored to be heading over to the all-electric automaker.
Dr. Kjell Gruner, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, has announced that he will be departing the brand, according to a statement from the automaker.
Gruner, who has served in his role since 2020, has been at the helm of the North American subsidiary and implemented significant changes. During his tenure, sales of Porsche vehicles in North America have continued to soar. Last year, the Zuffenhausen-based brand enjoyed its best-ever sales year in the region.
No mention has been made of a successor or what Gruner has in the pipeline, but a new report from Automotive News (AN) suggests the seasoned executive may be jumping ship to Rivian. Sources told the publication that he is heading to the electric startup, but there has been no official confirmation.
This news follows weeks after Rivian announced it is approaching the final development stages of its more affordable R2 model.
A Rivian spokesperson said, “I don't have any information to provide at this time,” while Gruner did not respond to AN's request for comment. Per the report, German publications have also claimed the former Porsche executive is going to Rivian.
If the rumors are true, Gruner's role at Rivian is unclear. It's unlikely that he will replace RJ Scaringe as the company's CEO, but it has to be a significant role to entice him out of his cozy spot at Porsche. He has decades of automotive industry experience that could help Rivian navigate its many issues.
Gruner joined Porsche in 1999 and, five years later, joined the Daimler Group. It's here that he became the director of strategy for Mercedes-Benz cars. However, he made a return to Porsche in 2010. An unnamed Porsche dealer told AN that Gruner would do exceptionally well at a public company such as Rivian. “He's attuned to ever-changing consumer trends and knows which variants and models are likely to move,” said an unnamed source.
George Gianarikas, Managing Director at Canaccord Genuity, said Gruner would bring much-needed prestige to the Rivian brand, which currently competes in the upper echelons of the market. “Rivian has done a good job of hiring people from traditional industrial operations but also from the technology sector,” he added.
Gruner shared the news of his departure on his LinkedIn page, writing, “How can you leave Porsche? A great team, a great brand, great products! But sometimes, there is the next mountain to climb.”
It will be interesting to see whether Gruner is, in fact, heading to Rivian and, if so, what his role will be. Embarking on a new chapter must be exciting, but it will be rather painful handing over the keys of the company 911 for an R1T.
Keyword: Rumor: Porsche Big Boss Jumping Ship To Join Rivian