RJ Scaringe Takes Charge of Rivian Marketing as Company Prepares for R2

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe is taking on a new title, interim Chief Marketing Officer, as part of a company-wide restructuring ahead of next year’s R2 launch.

According to an internal email obtained by TechCrunch, Scaringe will temporarily oversee Rivian’s marketing and creative teams while the company searches for its first-ever CMO. The move comes alongside another round of layoffs affecting about 4.5% of the workforce, or roughly 600 employees, Rivian’s third cut this year.

Scaringe said the changes are designed to help Rivian “profitably scale” amid tougher market conditions, pointing to policy shifts like the end of the federal EV tax credit and new tariffs on imported materials.

Rivian is also consolidating customer-facing teams: Vehicle Operations will now merge with Service, while Delivery and Mobile Operations move under Sales. The idea is to simplify the buying and delivery experience into a single customer touchpoint.

This reshuffle shows how focused Rivian is on execution going into 2026. With R2 on the horizon, Scaringe’s direct involvement in marketing signals a push to better align product, storytelling, and customer experience as the company enters its next phase of growth.