Prime Tesla government, an Elon Musk confidant, leaves the corporate, sources say
By Alexandra Ulmer, Abhirup Roy, Chris Kirkham and Rachael Levy
(Reuters) -Tesla government and longtime Elon Musk confidant Omead Afshar has left the electric-vehicle maker, three individuals acquainted with the matter stated on Thursday, one other senior departure as the corporate grapples with slowing international demand.
Afshar was a part of the CEO’s workplace and since final 12 months had overseen gross sales and manufacturing in Europe and North America. After becoming a member of Tesla in 2017, he shortly turned one in all Musk’s trusted lieutenants, taking part in a central function in main tasks just like the Texas Gigafactory.
The sources, who declined to be recognized, had no particulars on the circumstances of his exit or the explanation behind it. Afshar posted about Tesla on X early this week, and his profiles on X and LinkedIn nonetheless confirmed his Tesla function as present on Wednesday.
Afshar departed amid slumping demand in Europe and North America for Tesla’s growing older car line-up whereas rivals have provided extra inexpensive options.
Two individuals acquainted with Tesla’s operations stated Afshar was among the many executives who took on greater roles this 12 months when Musk was centered on Washington.
Musk led President Donald Trump’s authorities cost-cutting drive this 12 months, and plenty of buyers and analysts apprehensive that distracted Musk from Tesla and alienated some potential patrons.
Former mid-level Tesla gross sales supervisor Matthew LaBrot, who was not too long ago fired for public criticism of Musk, stated Afshar was a “supporting character” intently tied to Musk till he rose to move gross sales and manufacturing in North America and Europe.
LaBrot stated there was important strain internally to take care of the gross sales declines, which have been significantly extreme in Europe.
Afshar’s departure was reported earlier by Bloomberg Information, which additionally reported that North America HR Director Jenna Ferrua had exited the corporate. Two of the three individuals who confirmed Afshar’s departure to Reuters additionally stated Ferrua had left.
A kind of individuals stated Afshar and Ferrua have been shut colleagues, so it was not shocking that each left across the similar time. One other of the individuals stated Ferrua has served as a direct HR adviser to Afshar.
The departure caps a collection of government exits over the previous 14 months, pushed by company-wide restructuring as Tesla slashed hundreds of jobs and shifted its focus to AI-powered self-driving expertise and robotics.
The departures included leaders in robots, batteries and public coverage. The pinnacle of Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robotic staff, Milan Kovac, introduced he was leaving this month, and high battery government Vineet Mehta did so in Could.
