Taiga adds veteran powersports engineer Doug Braswell
The Canadian company that is trying to lead efforts on the electric snowmobile and PWC front has added an industry veteran to its team.
Doug Braswell will be Taiga Motors Corporation’s new VP of Electrification Operations, the company announced on September 13.
Braswell has a long history in the powersports industry on both the OEM and aftermarket/OEM supplier front. Many folks may remember him from his days at Arctic Cat, where he started way back in 1995 and rose to Engineering Manager before leaving for John Deere, and then returning to Arctic Cat as Director of New Product Development and Engineering, before returning to John Deere.
Stops at ODG/ARGO and brake-maker Hayes followed, before more recently serving as the Case/CNH New Product Development and Advanced Engineering, working specifically on electric Case backhoe development.
In the same press release annoucing Braswell’s new position, the company also said that Chief Operating Officer Bernard Leblanc would be leaving the company in two weeks
Below is the full press release from Taiga announced. Also, check out this recent interview with a Taiga dealer, from a previous issue of Powersports Business.
Taiga Announces Changes to Management Team and Appoints Doug Braswell as New VP of Electrification Operations
MONTREAL, Sept. 13, 2021 – Taiga Motors Corporation, a leading electric off-road vehicle manufacturer, is pleased to announce that Doug Braswell has been named Vice President of Electrification Operations, reporting to CEO Sam Bruneau. After a transformative year leading the company’s operations and manufacturing ramp-up, Taiga also announces the departure of Bernard Leblanc, Chief Operating Officer, effective September 30th, 2021. Until his departure, Bernard will work with the management team and act as one of its ambassadors to ensure a smooth transition.
“I want to thank Bernard for energizing and inspiring our teams throughout Taiga’s early growth phase and important transition to a publicly traded company,” said Taiga CEO Sam Bruneau. “He has been a positive, influential force at Taiga and his work has paved the way for the next phase of the company’s operations. We wish him every success in his future endeavors.”
As Vice President, Electrification Operations, Doug Braswell brings over two decades’ experience in the off-road and powersports industries. In this new role, he will oversee Taiga’s strategic growth, new vehicle platform launches, and the acceleration of third-party vehicle platform electrification with Taiga’s powertrain supply business.
Prior to joining Taiga, Braswell led EV product development for Case Construction at CNH Industries. He also held several global, engineering and R&D management positions at John Deere and served as Arctic Cat’s Director, New Product Development for the snowmobile division.
“Doug exemplifies the qualities of a dynamic leader, playing key roles in off-road vehicle development, and propelling innovations across the sector for decades,” continued Bruneau. “His expertise will accelerate important production launch phases and help us achieve our global mission to electrify the off-road industry by championing the rollout of Taiga’s modular powertrain technologies.”
“I believe Taiga’s mission is an important evolution in powersports to remove the compromise between performance and the environment,” added Braswell. “We have the technology and talent to scale production and meet growing demand for Taiga’s vehicles. I look forward to working with the Taiga team to help redefine the next phase for the off-road industry.”