Mustapha El Akkari, formerly an executive at Tesla, has been appointed as the senior director of structures and raw materials at Rivian. At Tesla, El Akkari was responsible for managing the Cybertruck supply chain and had control over $16 billion in raw material spending. During his time at Tesla, he managed relationships with dozens of suppliers across three continents and saved the company over $1 billion. El Akkari’s skills could prove beneficial to Rivian as it continues to bring its R2 platform to production and improve its connections, lower spending, and increase efficiency.
El Akkari’s appointment follows the move of other former Tesla executives to Rivian, including Charly Mwangi, Tesla’s former senior director of engineering, and Nick Kalayjian, its former VP of engineering. While Mwangi no longer works for Rivian, Kalayjian serves as the automaker’s chief product development officer.
It is unlikely that El Akkari’s departure from Tesla will slow down the production timeline for Cybertruck. However, until the electric pickup goes into “mass ramp-up,” it is difficult to predict the impact of his departure.
Managing Raw Material Spending
As the senior director of structures and raw materials at Rivian, El Akkari will be responsible for managing the automaker’s raw material spending. His experience at Tesla managing the Cybertruck supply chain and controlling $16 billion in raw material spending will be valuable in his new role.
El Akkari’s LinkedIn page notes that he generated over $1 billion in savings for Tesla during his time there. This experience could help Rivian lower its spending and improve its efficiency as it continues to develop its R1T and R1S electric vehicles.
Improving Supplier Relationships
El Akkari’s experience managing relationships with dozens of suppliers across three continents will also be valuable to Rivian. As an electric vehicle startup, Rivian will need to work closely with suppliers to ensure that it has access to the necessary parts and materials to bring its vehicles to market.
El Akkari’s experience at Tesla could help Rivian improve its supplier relationships and ensure that it has access to the necessary components to bring its R2 platform to production. This could help Rivian avoid the supply chain issues that have plagued other automakers in recent years.
Conclusion
Mustapha El Akkari’s appointment as the senior director of structures and raw materials at Rivian is a significant move for the electric vehicle startup. El Akkari’s experience managing raw material spending and supplier relationships at Tesla could help Rivian improve its efficiency, lower its spending, and bring its R2 platform to production.
El Akkari’s appointment follows the move of other former Tesla executives to Rivian, including Charly Mwangi and Nick Kalayjian. While it is unlikely that El Akkari’s departure from Tesla will slow down the production timeline for Cybertruck, it is difficult to predict the impact of his departure until the electric pickup goes into “mass ramp-up.”