Edward Hightower is an electric vehicle OEM CEO, global automotive executive, entrepreneur, public board director, and published author. He is the managing director of Motoring Ventures LLC, a hands-on growth, strategy, operations, and M&A consulting firm focused on driving value + impact in the global automotive industry.
Previously, he served as chief executive officer and president of Lordstown Motors Corp., an original equipment manufacturer of electric vehicles for the commercial fleet market. In 2022, he led the operational turnaround of the company, implementation of a new asset-light business strategy, and launch of its first vehicle – the Endurance battery electric full-size pickup truck. In doing so, over 700 jobs were saved, and Endurance was selected as a finalist for 2023 North American Truck of the Year. Crain’s Automotive News magazine recognized Hightower as the first African American CEO of a publicly traded automaker. Hightower also served as CEO of the electric vehicle design and engineering joint venture between Lordstown and Foxconn. The Endurance assets and IP were later sold as part of a value maximizing strategic restructuring process.
Earlier, Hightower served in several new-product development, engineering, strategy, brand marketing, and senior executive roles between Ford, BMW, and GM. He also worked as a consultant at AlixPartners, LLP. Hightower authored the book Motoring Africa: Sustainable Automotive Industrialization, published in 2018.
Originally from Chicago, Hightower earned a BS in General Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. He is a lifetime member of both Kappa Alpha Psi and the Council on Foreign Relations. He and his family live in metro Detroit, Michigan.