Faraday Future hires a bunch of executives from legacy luxury automakers to lead marketing

Electric vehicle startup Faraday Future (FF) announced today the hiring of Marco Mattiacci, former President & CEO of Ferrari North America (2010 to 2014), as Global Chief Brand & Commercial Officer. Mattiacci is only the latest in a series of hires from legacy luxury automakers to lead Faraday’s marketing department.

The strategy gives a glimpse at the image the company, which as yet to present a vehicle aimed for production, will likely try to project in the EV market.

FF says that Marco Mattiacci (pictured above) will be leading all aspects of “branding, marketing, communications, distribution, sales, and user/customer experience.” He will work with his former Ferrari colleague Greg Adams, former Director of Marketing at Ferrari and now Head of Corporate Strategy at Faraday Future.

Faraday’s Director of Sales, Sascha Doering, was also recently hired from an Italian automaker, Lamborghini, where he was Head of Strategy & Business Development.

The startup has yet to confirm any information about the first vehicle it plans to bring to market, but sources familiar with the project say that it will start at over $100,000 – making it a luxury vehicle. Even though company officials have been on record saying that they are exploring different options for car ownership, the sticker price will still play an important role in FF’s market position.

The hiring of auto execs with extensive experience in selling luxury vehicles leads us to believe FF will aim to offer a similar premium experience as the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini, but the startup has been clear about its ambition to leverage its EV platform called VPA, which is short for Variable Platform Architecture, to build a wide range of different vehicles.

FF sent out the following press release today to announce the hiring of Mattiacci:

Faraday Future Hires Auto Industry Leader, Marco Mattiacci

LOS ANGELES, JUNE 9, 2016 – Today, Faraday Future (FF) announced the appointment of automotive industry leader Marco Mattiacci. Effective immediately, Mattiacci will assume the role of Global Chief Brand & Commercial Officer, leading all aspects of branding, marketing, communications, distribution, sales, and user/customer experience. Marco will also sit on key strategy, product, design, and HR committees.

Mattiacci, a native of Rome, has held international executive roles in the automotive and motorsport industry for the past 20 years. He served as President & CEO of Ferrari North America from 2010 to 2014, accelerating a re-branding process in the company’s largest markets (U.S. and Canada), while bolstering emerging ones, such as Brazil, Chile, and Mexico.

In 2012, Mattiacci earned the Automotive Executive of the Year Award for increasing company sales while maintaining a “sharp focus on customer satisfaction, ownership experience, and brand integrity.” Under his leadership, Ferrari nearly doubled its sales in North and South American markets.

Prior to that, Mattiacci served as President & CEO of Ferrari Asia Pacific from 2006 to 2010. Headquartered in Shanghai, he established the brand in China and created the first Ferrari corporate entity to run the Japanese market. In 2009, Mattiacci was recognized by the Management World Press and the Development Research Center of the State Council of the State of China as one of 100 leaders named in Outstanding Foreign Enterprises. Mattiacci will bring his expertise and knowledge of the Chinese automotive industry to Faraday Future – an invaluable asset to FF, as the U.S. and China are expected to be the largest markets for the company.

Most recently, Mattiacci served as Managing Director and Team Principal of the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 racing team. Mattiacci is an alumnus of the prestigious Columbia University Business School in New York and INSEAD International Executive Program.

LeEco, Faraday Future’s strategic partner, congratulated FF on Marco joining the team.

“Mr. Mattiacci is one of the most exceptional executives in the automotive industry today. His new appointment at Faraday Future speaks to the company’s ability to attract internationally-renowned talent and the popularity of a futuristic approach to mobility,” said Ding Lei, co-founder, global vice chairman & managing director of LeEco’s Super Electric Ecosystem (SEE) plan. “As Faraday Future and LeEco continue to work together in a joint effort, Mr. Mattiacci will accelerate the companies’ common vision of a global, smart, internet connected, and shared EV ecosystem, as advocated by Jia Yueting.”

“Throughout my career, I have been a passionate believer in innovation and unique user experiences for customers,” said Mattiacci. “Joining the Faraday Future team is an incredible opportunity that revolves around a completely new, connected, and intelligent way of thinking. I look forward to the role I will play in developing a truly brave and innovative path forward for the industry.”

As he moves into his new role, Mattiacci is tasked with establishing the Faraday Future brand, a groundbreaking user experience, and sales and service platforms on a global scale. Through his proven expertise and ability to communicate across technological and cultural barriers, Mattiacci will support FF in defining and executing an effective business model centered around industry disruption.