Rivian has hired Sheldon Quan as its new Chief Corporate Counsel, as the company continues to scale its operations ahead of the R2 debut.
The Irvine-based EV maker announced the new hire on Tuesday through a LinkedIn post, where it said that “having a leader with Sheldon’s depth of experience is invaluable.”
Quan previously worked for Cruise — General Motors‘ robotaxi unit — where he was a General Counsel for two years and served as VP and Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for another six.
“He brings a wealth of expertise in navigating complex global legal landscapes and a proven track record of strategic leadership,” Rivian added, noting that the counsel joins the team “at a pivotal time as we get ready to launch R2.”
The executive said he will be overseeing “a variety of legal teams focused on navigating Rivian‘s next chapter of growth, and I’m looking forward to seeing what we build together!”
The EV maker’s outlook hinges increasingly on the successful execution and timely ramp of its upcoming mid-size SUV, for which it will reveal “full details” on Thursday (March 12).
As of the end of 2025, Rivian had an industry record cash burn rate of over $24 billion, which founder and CEO RJ Scaringe addressed late last month, calling it the costs of building “a very large company.”
Legal Team
Quan will report directly to Mike Callahan, who has served as Chief Administrative Officer since last June.
According to Rivian, “Mike leads Rivian’s Legal, Public Policy and Regulatory, Communications, People, and Sustainability teams.”
Prior to being named Chief Administrative Officer, the executive served as Rivian’s Chief Legal Officer for two years.
He was responsible for the company’s legal, ethics and compliance, public policy and regulatory teams.
In August, the EV maker changed Callahan’s role to Chief Accounting Officer on its website, hinting at a promotion — the second in two months.
However, as of Wednesday, Mike Callahan is named as Chief Administrative Officer on both the website and his LinkedIn profile.
Recent Leadership Changes
Rivian recently created the role of Chief Customer Officer, which was filled earlier this year by Greg Revelle.
Last year, Scaringe told employees that he would lead marketing on an interim basis while the company searched for someone to fill the position for the first time.
However, days after appointing Revelle, the company told EV it has no plans to hire a Chief Marketing Officer, with marketing duties now falling under the CCO.
The executive now oversees the entirety of the customer journey at Rivian, including the go-to-market strategy including sales, marketing, and operations.
Revelle joined a list of C-level executives that includes Chief Financial Officer Claire McDonough, Chief Operating Officer Javier Varela, recently promoted Chief Communications Officer Marina Hoffmann, among others.
In 2025, the company has also introduced several Vice Presidents to its management team.
Rivian has hired Erica Zoromski as its new VP of Employee Experience, under the direction of Chief People Officer R. Scott Griffin, and appointed Chip Newcom as VP of Investor Relations.
Industry veteran Omar Rivera was also hired as VP of Corporate Quality, and long-time Rivian engineer Brian Gase was promoted to VP of Engineering Quality.
Rivian Stock Jumps
The stock climbed to $17 in mid-February, following better-than-expected fourth-quarter results and the publication of early media reviews of its upcoming R2 model.
The company’s shares have traded around $15 in the past month.
On Tuesday, however, they jumped by over 4% to $16.54, after TD Cowen upgraded its stock rating to Buy.
Throughout 2025, the company’s stock was volatile, trading as low as $12.50 in April, weighed down by tariff-related uncertainty from the Trump Administration.
It reached its yearly high at $22.45 on December 22.
