Tesla Hires Former Apple Exec

American electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla announced today it has hired Apple and Gap executive George Blankenship to take the role of vice president of Design and Store Development. Blankenship, who was in charge with Apple's brand building retail strategy, will have pretty much the same role at Tesla, where he will build from the ground up the carmaker's retail network and strategy.

"George has a record of building customer-focused stores that revolutionize their industries, and he does it on time and on budget,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a statement. “Tesla will have the best retail experience in the auto industry as we continue to grow and prepare to launch the Model S.”

According to the limited information available at this point, Tesla retail network will begin with the stores in Tokyo, Japan, Toronto, Canada, and Washington, DC. Tesla promises the stores will be “stylish and inviting.“ They will also serve as headquarters for the Tesla Rangers, the engineers in charge of making home visits to Tesla owners.

”Joining Tesla allows me to work with some of the boldest and brightest people on the planet while changing the world for the better,” Blankenship added. “I’m excited to create a retail experience that is as thrilling as my first drive of the Tesla Roadster.”

Tesla made its initial public offering last week, raising in the first day $226 million and becoming the second-biggest first-day gain in IPOs made this year the following day. Since last week however, Tesla's shares dropped under the initial price.