Nikola Corp. Hires New Chief Operating Officer to Lead Engineering and Manufacturing Teams
In an exciting development, Nikola Corp. announced on Monday that they have hired a new chief operating officer who will be responsible for leading the company’s engineering, product, and manufacturing teams, among others.
Mary Chan, former president of the global connected consumer group at General Motors and a former senior vice president at Dell, will assume her new role on October 9th.
In a statement, Chan expressed her enthusiasm for joining Nikola and being a part of the team that will drive trucking to a zero-emissions future. She said, “My career has been dedicated to pioneering smart transportation and wireless communications across automotive, telecommunications, and high-tech industries. Joining Nikola represents the culmination of this journey, and I’m excited to be part of the team that will drive trucking to a zero-emissions future, encompassing trucking products, customer solutions, and the corresponding energy infrastructure.”
Prior to joining Nikola, Chan played a pivotal role at General Motors, where she led the launch of 4G LTE connectivity across brands in the U.S., China, Europe, and Mexico. Her outstanding achievements in the wireless industry have earned her the prestigious title of “Top Woman in Wireless” by Fierce Wireless, an industry news outlet. Additionally, she has also served as a managing partner at VectoIQ LLC, which facilitated Nikola’s public listing through a special purpose acquisition company in 2020.
Chan joins Nikola at a crucial time as the company is under new leadership with CEO Steve Girsky and is currently dealing with a recall that affects all 209 of its battery-electric vehicles on the road. However, Nikola has stated that this recall will not impact the delivery of its hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which are scheduled to begin this month.
Similar to other electric vehicle startups, Nikola is facing financial challenges. In order to support its hydrogen fuel cell truck and hydrogen production project, the company recently passed a shareholder proposal to increase its authorized shares, a fundraising tool. As of June 30th, Nikola had approximately six months’ worth of cash remaining.
