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• The Information reports that "Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has picked Eric Rimling, a 14-year veteran of the company’s fulfillment operation, as his new technical adviser, according to two people with knowledge of the appointment. The highly coveted position, which involves working directly with the CEO on a daily basis, has been a fast track to promotions for Amazon staffers in the past, including Jassy himself.
"Rimling’s January appointment, which hasn’t been previously reported, is notable given Jassy had limited experience with Amazon’s delivery business prior to becoming CEO in 2021, having spent the vast majority of his career working on Amazon Web Services."
The story goes on:
"People who occupy the technical adviser role typically serve for around two years, sitting in on top-level meetings and traveling with the CEO. The working relationship between the technical adviser and CEO is so close that the person occupying the role is often referred to as a 'shadow adviser.' Jassy himself worked as technical adviser to Amazon founder and then-CEO Jeff Bezos in the early 2000s before going on to help create and lead AWS.
"Rimling most recently held the post of vice president of global specialty fulfillment. He has held various fulfillment-related roles since joining the company in 2009, working on everything from grocery delivery for Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh to rural deliveries and customer pickups and returns."
