Karma Automotive has appointed two members to its executive team, including a former president and chief executive officer for Volvo Cars of North America and a former senior director for Faraday Future.

John Maloney, who oversaw all U.S. business operations as president and chief executive officer for Volvo Cars of North America, has been appointed chief revenue officer for Karma. He will help lead “Value Forward," which is Karma’s business and product introduction strategy that Karma chief executive officer Lance Zhou introduced in late 2018. Maloney will lead Karma’s sales, customer experience, marketing, public relations and after-sales activities.

Lewis Liu, who was formerly with Faraday Future, joins Karma as vice president, business development and strategy. His experience includes consulting for several major international and Chinese brands. Liu will help lead long-term business strategies, with a focus on luxury, high technology, customization and VVIP customer treatment.

Maloney to lead product introduction

Maloney joins Karma after most recently holding several consultancy and advisory roles, and he served as president and chief executive officer for Volvo Cars of North America.

At Volvo, he oversaw all U.S. business operations, including marketing, sales, parts, service and technology. Before being appointed president and chief executive officer, Maloney was the company’s vice president of marketing for nine years.

“John brings an extensive commercial skillset to our business and has the experience and leadership qualities needed to help deliver Karma’s strong and well-funded future,” Zhou said.    

Maloney joined started his career by serving in sales and marketing positions within Ford Global Marketing, and the Lincoln Mercury and Ford Customer Service divisions.

Liu to lead collaboration efforts

 “[Liu] has the kind of expertise in corporate financial investments, strategy development and implementation, international operational management, and market-entry strategies we need to help grow Karma’s unique luxury electric vehicle niche,” Karma chief executive officer Lance Zhou said in a news release. Based in Southern California, Karma Automotive designs, engineers, assembles and markets luxury electric vehicles.

Liu previously served as senior director of strategic partnership and business development for Faraday Future. Prior to that, he was a managing director of KPMG Advisory in China, overseeing the company’s automotive industry management consulting practice. He also served as senior vice president at private equity firm, Ascension Capital, and as general manager and plant manager at Philips Lighting Electronics.  

“Karma’s Value-Forward business plan, which in part encourages collaboration with the right business partners to help accelerate technology and product development, really attracted me to the company,” Liu said in a news release.