Rigetti Computing, Inc. (RGTI) Stock: New COO and CTO Roles Reshape Quantum Strategy 

TLDR

• Rigetti creates a new COO role to oversee operations and quantum system delivery.
• David Rivas moves to COO as Rigetti expands commercial execution and deployment.
• Andrew Bestwick becomes CTO and takes charge of quantum processor development.
• Rigetti separates customer deployments from core quantum engineering functions.
• RGTI stock falls 6.15% to $15.95 as new leadership roles reshape its strategy.

Rigetti Computing reorganized its leadership structure to support growing quantum system deployments and sharpen processor development. The company created a Chief Operating Officer role while assigning new responsibilities across engineering and commercial operations. Meanwhile, RGTI stock fell 6.15% to $15.95 after trading above $17 earlier Thursday.

Rigetti Computing, Inc., RGTI

Rigetti Computing Restructures Operations for System Deployments

Rigetti created a dedicated Systems Delivery organization as demand grows for on-premises quantum computing systems. The group will oversee system deployment, customer engineering, and operational execution. Consequently, Rigetti aims to separate delivery responsibilities from its core processor development work.

The company currently supplies systems ranging from its 9-qubit Novera platform to 108-qubit Cepheus-class systems. Previously, engineering teams also handled installation and customer support duties. However, the new structure assigns those responsibilities to dedicated operational teams.

Rigetti expects this division to support broader deployments while giving engineers more time for hardware development. The company continues working toward its published quantum technology roadmap. That roadmap includes improving the performance and reliability of its Cepheus processor architecture.

New COO Role Expands Rigetti’s Operational Leadership

Rigetti appointed David Rivas as Chief Operating Officer after he served as Chief Technology Officer since February 2023. Rivas will lead several operational, commercial, and customer-facing functions. His responsibilities now include manufacturing operations, systems delivery, software engineering, and business development.

Rivas will also oversee government programs, supply chain operations, applications, facilities, and fabrication activities. Therefore, the COO position combines several functions under one executive. Rigetti designed the structure to establish clearer responsibility across system production and customer delivery.

The changes reflect Rigetti’s shift toward supporting more customer installations alongside ongoing research and development. Increased deployment activity created greater operational requirements across the company. As a result, Rigetti separated system delivery leadership from its processor engineering organization.

New CTO Focuses on Rigetti Quantum Processor Roadmap

Rigetti appointed Andrew Bestwick as Chief Technology Officer following his role as Senior Vice President of Quantum Systems. Bestwick previously led the architecture of the company’s Cepheus-class multi-chip systems. He will now oversee quantum processor development, chip fabrication development, and hardware engineering.

The technology organization will remain Rigetti’s largest engineering group under the revised operating structure. Rigetti continues placing processor performance at the center of its development strategy. The company also targets 99.5% median two-qubit gate fidelity on its Cepheus-1-108Q system.

Both Bestwick and Rivas report directly to President and Chief Executive Officer Subodh Kulkarni. Their appointments became effective on August 18. The leadership changes align Rigetti’s commercial expansion with its longer-term quantum computing development plans.

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