Self-driving shuttle startup May Mobility shakes up senior management

Self-driving shuttle company May Mobility has revamped its senior management team.

COO Alisyn Malek is leaving her position but will retain an advisory role. Friday is her last day as COO. Her departure follows the exit of former Chief Technology Officer Steve Vozar, who left last week. Both are co-founders of the company.

Their departures come as the company plans an expansion. May Mobility closed a $50 million investment round in December that will enable it to deploy its six-passenger electric vehicles on routes in more communities. Toyota Motor Corp. was the largest investor in the latest investment round.

"After we wrapped up that fundraising, I thought about what I wanted to lean into next," Malek said. "I'm really proud of everything we accomplished and the team we've brought in. I trust that they're going to keep killing it and continue to grow the company."

May Mobility, of Ann Arbor, Mich., has pilot projects deployed in Detroit; Grand Rapids, Mich.; and Providence, R.I. A test bed in Columbus, Ohio, ended last fall. Among those locations, Malek said, May Mobility has offered more than 200,000 rides in its vehicles.

"It hasn't really dawned on people how impactful this has been," she said. "We've carried more passengers than Aptiv and Waymo combined."

As it has transitioned from a startup to a bigger company, May Mobility has added seasoned executives. Last year, the company hired Brett McMillan, who had worked at Aptiv and at KPMG, as its vice president of finance. Joaquin Nuno-Whelan, who was a chief engineer of full-size SUVs at General Motors, joined May Mobility as its vice president of fleet engineering. It's not yet clear how Malek and Vozar will be replaced.

Malek, a 2019 Automotive News All-Star, had previously worked at GM, where she played a role in the company's acquisition of Cruise Automation.