PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Luminar announced a significant expansion of its leadership as it drives into its next phase of growth in automotive. Over the next 18 months, the company is scaling its technology into series production, starting with Volvo in 2022, and will begin shipping its Iris sensing and perception platform within the year.
The company’s new Chief Financial Officer, Tom Fennimore, previously Global Head of Automotive for Goldman Sachs and most recently at Jefferies Group, LLC. Over the last 25 years, Tom led many of the industry’s most significant and successful financial endeavors, including the likes of Tesla and Mobileye’s IPOs.
Matthew Simoncini, the former President, CEO, and Director at Lear Corporation joins Luminar’s Board of Directors.
Marc Losewitz and Aaron Jefferson, former ZF Group executives in ADAS, join Luminar as Vice President of Automotive Business Development and Vice President of Product, respectively. Marc led the global Active and Passive Safety product lines with direct responsibility for building and maintaining over a $1B P&L. Aaron led the cross-functional global Product Management organization with a focus on ADAS and related products.
Also joining the automotive business team is Jason Rudd, who served for 11 years at Mobileye as Senior Director OEM and Tier1 Sales. Jason will be driving Luminar’s growing European business presence and programs. This new leadership establishes a deeper presence for Luminar in Detroit as well as the EU.
“We’ve been rapidly evolving from a tech development company working with R&D programs to now the first company enabling autonomy in automotive series production. This enables us to attract the top leaders across the industry as we establish a greater presence in automotive and focus on rapid execution and scale,” said Austin Russell, Founder and CEO of Luminar Technologies. “There is no precedent or playbook for what we’re building, so having the best strategic minds to solve complex problems and execute solutions is paramount to our long-term success.”
Prior to these additions, Luminar also appointed Lonnie Bernardoni as Vice President, Supply Chain to ramp up the company’s production of its Iris sensing technology for 2022 series production. Lonnie was previously Vice President of Supply Chain and Operations at Magic Leap, establishing highly sophisticated optical manufacturing processes and a supply chain capable of high volume.
Biographies:
Tom Fennimore, Chief Financial Officer
For the past 25 years, Tom led many of the automotive industry’s most significant and successful financial endeavors that have shaped the future of the industry globally. From 2014 to May 2020, Tom was the Global Head of Automotive and the Co-Head of the Industrials Group at Jefferies Group, LLC, and for 17 years prior, at Goldman Sachs in a variety of roles, including Global Head of Automotive and Co-Head of Goldman’s Industrials Group based in Beijing, China. Over that time, Tom managed IPOs, financings, and M&As for the likes of Tesla, Mobileye, Sensata, GM, Fiat Chrysler, BYD, Beijing Auto, Guangzhou Auto, Ballard Power, Cobasys, Key Safety Systems, Takata, Tower Automotive, Delphi, TowerSec, Visteon and many others.
Matthew Simoncini, Board Member
Matthew has over 35 years of experience in the automotive and automotive-related industries in evaluating companies, emerging technologies, and management teams, with significant expertise in due diligence and assessing the suitability of acquisition opportunities. As President and Chief Executive Officer of Lear from 2011 to 2018, Matthew was responsible for the company's strategic direction and operational leadership. Previously he was Lear’s Chief Financial Officer, responsible for global finance operations. He joined Lear in 1999 after Lear acquired UTA, where he was Director of Global Financial Planning & Analysis. He has also held financial and manufacturing positions with Varity Corporation's Kelsey-Hayes Company and Horizon Enterprises Inc. He began his career at Touche Ross & Co. and is a certified public accountant.
Marc Losiewicz, Vice President of Automotive Business Development
Marc has spent the last two decades in automotive bringing complex electronic and embedded systems from concept to market on a global scale. He has extensive global experience collaborating with major Automotive OEMs, Tier 1 and 2+ suppliers, and Commercial Vehicle players. Prior to joining Luminar, Marc worked for three major automotive global Tier 1’s including: Continental Automotive, TRW and most recently ZF Friedrichshafen where he managed the ADAS product line.
Aaron Jefferson, Vice President of Product
With a career spanning over 20 years, Aaron has been at the forefront of delivering new technologies from Electrification and Power Electronics to ADAS and Automated Driving systems; most recently leading the global product strategy and ADAS product growth at ZF Friedrichshafen. Prior to joining ZF, Aaron spent over 15 years at Delphi (now Aptiv) and was responsible for establishing the ADAS product management and strategy process which led to a revamped product portfolio and a book of business wins exceeding $2 billion year-over-year.
Jason Rudd, Head of European Business Development
Jason brings nearly 25 years of industrial and automotive high-tech experience, having served most recently as VP Sales & Marketing at Neteera Technologies in Jerusalem. Prior to Neteera, Jason was the Senior Director of OEM & Tier1 Sales at Mobileye Vision Technologies for 11 years, leading sales and business development activities in Mobileye's OEM division, from late 2006 through IPO, until the Intel acquisition of Mobileye. Before joining Mobileye Jason took his first steps in the automotive world at TRW in the UK, leading sales activities as Global Sales Champion in the fledgling ADAS market for both camera and radar-based technologies.
ABOUT LUMINAR
Luminar is an autonomous vehicle sensor and software company with the vision to power every autonomous vehicle by delivering the only LiDAR capable of making them both safe and ubiquitous. Founded in 2012, Luminar is a 350-person team across Palo Alto, Orlando and Colorado Springs, and has raised more than $250M from prominent venture funds. Today, 12 of the world’s top 15 automotive companies are working with Luminar’s breakthrough technology as part of their global autonomous development programs, including Volvo Cars, Toyota Research Institute, and VW/Audi’s subsidiary, AID.
