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Ex-Waymo CFO Elisa de Martel Joins Self-Driving Firm Wayve

Elisa de Martel has transitioned from her CFO role at Waymo to a new position at Wayve. She will work from Silicon Valley as the startup expands its autonomous vehicle initiatives.

10/8/2026, 4:30:53 PM

Elisa de Martel, who recently departed from her role as chief financial officer at Waymo, has taken a new position with Wayve, a self-driving technology startup. This move marks a significant change for de Martel, who spent time leading financial operations at Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet focused on developing autonomous vehicle technology. According to TechCrunch, de Martel's new role will see her based in Silicon Valley, a hub for technology innovation and development. Wayve is known for its cutting-edge approach to self-driving capabilities, aiming to revolutionize the automotive landscape through advancements in AI and machine learning. The company's strategy involves leveraging data from real-world driving to enhance their autonomous systems, a tactic that figures prominently in the current trends of the self-driving industry. De Martel’s experience at Waymo will likely serve to bolster Wayve’s marketing and financial strategies in pursuing these ambitious goals. Having steered Waymo through its development phases, de Martel brings a wealth of knowledge about the complexities of fully autonomous driving technology and the financial acumen needed to navigate a competitive space. Her presence at Wayve could signal potential growth and innovation within the company as it seeks to carve out its niche against established players in the field. As the autonomous vehicle sector continues to grow and evolve, leaders like de Martel play crucial roles in shaping the trajectory of these pioneering companies. With a fresh perspective from her time at Waymo, she appears set to apply her insights to the innovative path Wayve is forging in the self-driving domain.

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