Rivian Lands Powerhouse Communications Chief

In a noteworthy business move, electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian has announced the recruitment of Sarah O’Brien as their new leader in charge of communications. O’Brien, with an impressive history at major corporations like Tesla and Apple, is set to steer the company’s communication strategies beginning June 30, 2023.

At Tesla, O’Brien oversaw communications during the launch of the Model 3, Solar Roof, and Tesla Semi Truck from September 2016 to August 2017. However, her tenure there was brief due to the controversy surrounding CEO Elon Musk’s aborted effort to privatize the electric vehicle maker.

O’Brien’s expertise, though, extends beyond the auto industry. For more than eight years, she was a pivotal figure in Apple’s communications team. She managed the communication strategies for the Apple Watch, which now boasts over two billion active users, in addition to the global launches of the iPhone, iPad, App Store, and iTunes Music Festival. More recently, O’Brien held the role of vice president of executive and product communications at Meta for four years.

Now at Rivian, she reportedly expressed her excitement to contribute to the nascent stages of Rivian’s journey.

In a recent statement, O’Brien said, “Rivian is still in the early chapters of its incredible story, and I’m thrilled to be able to play a role in telling the next chapters. Rivian is delivering on an ambitious mission…By helping to tell Rivian’s stories, we hope to inspire people from across the world to explore responsibly and preserve our natural world.”

O’Brien’s role at Rivian will be multi-faceted, encompassing various aspects of the company’s communications, such as new products like the R2, brand reputation management, employee updates, and media and public relations.