| Tony Aquila | |
| Birth Place: | Richmond, CA |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Chairman & CEO of Canoo Inc., and Founder & Chairman and CEO of AFV Partners LLC |
| Employer: | Canoo Technologies, Inc. |
| Awards: | National EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2013 Technology Award winner |
Tony Aquila, is an entrepreneur in the United States. He is the Chairman and CEO of Canoo Technologies, Inc.
Aquila has Italian and Lebanese roots. He is an investor, serial entrepreneur, and inventor associated with 100+ patents in the automotive, aeronautics and cybersecurity sectors. In 2022, Tony was appointed to the Future Mobility Council for the State of Arkansas by Governor Hutchinson.
In 2005, Aquila launched Solera Holdings, an automotive technology company. He took Solera public through a $1 billion IPO in 2007 and private again in 2016, at a valuation of $6.5 billion. During his tenure as CEO, Solera significantly expanded market share, executed more than 50 acquisitions, and employed more than 7,000 people in 90+ countries, including significant business across the MENA region.
Aquila was born in Richmond, California to an immigrant and military family.[1] After dropping out of high school, Aquila worked at his uncle's body shop sweeping floors and replacing windshields.[2] [3]
Tony Aquila was an initial investor in Canoo, before becoming a member of the Board. He was named Board Chair in October, 2020,[4] and CEO in March 2021.[5] Utilizing their Multi-Purpose Platform, they plan to build multiple variants of vehicles,[6] MPDV[7] (Multi Purpose Delivery Vehicle),[8] and upcoming Canoo Sports Vehicle.[9] The LV was planned for production in late 2022. The MPDV, Truck, and Sports Car were planned for 2023 2024 and 2025 respectively. Under an agreement established in November 2020, Canoo reimbursed Aquila Family Ventures, a company owned by Canoo's CEO, for the use of a private aircraft, with expenditures amounting to $1.7 million in 2023, surpassing the company’s $886,000 in revenue for that year. Additionally, Canoo compensated Aquila Family Ventures for shared services support at its Justin, Texas, corporate office, totaling another $1.7 million in 2023, as detailed in regulatory filings.[10]
Since founding the company in 2005, Aquila served as the chairman and CEO of Solera Holdings until his departure in May 2019.[11] [12] He sued Solera in 2019 for breach of contract.[13]
Aquila is the former president and chief operating officer of Mitchell International, Inc., a company that provides claims estimating and communications software to insurance carriers. Aquila joined Mitchell in 2001 after it had acquired Ensera.[14] [15]
Aquila was founder and CEO of Ensera, Inc., a claims workflow software company for the vehicle insurance and collision industry.
Prior to Ensera, Aquila was founder and CEO of MaxMeyer America, Inc. (a subsidiary of MaxMeyer Duco, SPA, Italy), an importer and distributor of European automotive refinishing products. In 1997, PPG Industries acquired MaxMeyer Duco, SPA.[16]