Tesla's Key Executive Omead Afshar Departs Amid AI Pivot and Sales Challenges

Tesla parts ways with top executive and fixer for Elon Musk

One of Elon Musk's top lieutenants has left his job at Tesla amid plunging sales and a pivot to autonomous driving, artificial intelligence and robotics. Omead Afshar, who was promoted to run sales and operations in North America and Europe last year, has left his role, according to two people familiar with the decision. Jenna Ferrua, director of North American human resources, has also departed the company, they said. Tesla, Afshar and Ferrua did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bloomberg first reported the departures. Afshar's departure comes at a difficult time for Tesla as its sales and earnings decline. It has suffered from a lack of new models, increased competition -- in particular in China -- and a consumer backlash against Musk's right-wing political activism in Europe and support of President Donald Trump. Tesla's worldwide EV deliveries fell 13 per cent in the first quarter, and its net income plunged 71 per cent. That prompted Musk to promise to "allocat[e] far more of my time to Tesla" and reduce the time he spends in Washington. His so-called Department of Government Efficiency has been controversially slashing government jobs and spending. Musk has since left his government role and publicly clashed with the president. However, Tesla has so far been unable to reverse the trend, with sales in the UK and Europe declining 28 per cent in May, the fifth month in a row. The EV maker will report global deliver numbers for the second quarter next week, with analysts forecasting another double-digit fall. Afshar has worked for Tesla since 2017, starting in the office of the CEO, before overseeing the construction of its vast "Giga Texas" manufacturing plant in Austin from 2020. He has been described as "firefighter" and "executioner" for the world's richest man, being moved across Musk's various companies to solve tough problems and conduct mass lay-offs, the Financial Times has previously reported. In late 2022, he was part of the "transition team" that fired more than 7,500 people at Twitter -- now rebranded as X -- and was given the nickname "the Elon whisperer" by colleagues because of his ability to read the mood of the mercurial billionaire. Last year, he helped undertake a 10 per cent reduction in Tesla's workforce, shedding about 14,000 jobs. It was not clear if Afshar will be reassigned to another part of Musk's empire after leaving Tesla. Musk is conducting a broader overhaul of the EV maker, betting its future on autonomous driving powered by artificial intelligence and a humanoid robot called Optimus. Last week, Tesla started a pilot programme of self-driving robotaxis in Austin that it says will eventually lead to owners being able to rent their cars out via a ride hailing app when not in use. However, the technology is under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after multiple crashes in bad conditions such as mist or sun glare. Tesla relies solely on cameras mounted on its vehicles, while rivals like Google's Waymo driverless taxis use more expensive radar and lidar sensors.

Elon Musk's confidant Omead Afshar exits Tesla in latest high-level departure

Omead Afshar, a key Tesla executive and close associate of Elon Musk, has departed the company amidst a period of significant change. This exit follows another recent high-level departure and comes as Tesla navigates challenges in North American and European markets, including declining sales and increased competition. Afshar's responsibilities included overseeing sales and manufacturing in these regions.Omead Afshar, a powerful executive at Tesla Inc. and one of Elon Musk's closest confidants, has left the company, according to people familiar with the matter, the latest high-level departure during a volatile period for the electric vehicle maker. News of the exit has circulated internally among some employees in recent days, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing internal information. Afshar's name no longer appeared to show up in an internal directory, two of the people said. The reason for the change wasn't immediately clear. Afshar, Musk and Tesla didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Afshar, who has worked in the office of the CEO, was promoted last year to oversee sales and manufacturing operations in North America and Europe. Those markets have become particular pain points for the automaker recently, with sales plunging due to rising competition and a consumer backlash to Musk's role in US President Donald Trump's administration. This marks at least the second departure of a prominent Tesla leader in recent weeks. Milan Kovac, the head of engineering for the company's Optimus humanoid robot program, stepped down citing a desire to spend more time with his family. The personnel changes punctuate a tumultuous year for Tesla, whose shares have tumbled about 19% while demand has waned for its EV models and Musk has spent time in Washington. The chief executive officer is trying to reorient the company around artificial intelligence, robots and driverless cars, recently rolling out a small number of Tesla's long-promised robotaxis in Austin. Tesla is expected to report global delivery results for the second quarter next week. Afshar joined Tesla in 2017, as the carmaker was beginning to ramp up production of the Model 3 sedan. "I was with Elon nearly every single day during Model 3 hell," he says in a post on X, the social media platform that Musk owns. "This included Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, his birthday and nearly missing his brother's wedding." Afshar was posting regularly on social media in recent days, including several messages this week praising the robotaxi launch. The executive oversaw the construction of Tesla's plant in Austin. A member of the office of the CEO since 2017, his most recent job title was listed on his LinkedIn page as a cowboy hat emoji. He came under internal scrutiny in 2022 for his role in purchasing hard-to-get construction materials, including a special kind of glass, Bloomberg reported. It's not unusual for executives to shuffle from one part of Musk's empire to another, and Afshar worked at SpaceX for a time. Tesla has just three named executive officers: Musk, Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja and Tom Zhu, senior vice president of automotive.

Elon Musk fires his closest confidant -- Who is Omead Afshar, the 'Musk Whisperer'?

Tesla has parted ways with senior executive Omead Afshar, a close aide of Elon Musk, as the electric vehicle company faces mounting sales pressure in the U.S. and Europe and repositions its future away from traditional EVs.Tesla's internal restructuring has claimed one of its most powerful figures. Omead Afshar, a senior executive and widely regarded as a close confidant of CEO Elon Musk, has exited the company, according to persons familiar with the matter. Afshar's departure comes during a crucial period as Tesla grapples with declining electric vehicle (EV) sales in its major markets and shifts attention to new technology ventures like robotaxis and artificial intelligence, as mentioned in a report by Bloomberg. Afshar, often dubbed the "Musk Whisperer" within Tesla, joined the electric carmaker in 2017 and quickly ascended the ranks. Most recently, he served as Vice President, overseeing Tesla's sales and manufacturing operations across North America and Europe -- two regions currently witnessing a downturn in demand. A November 2024 profile in the Wall Street Journal described him as "Musk's fixer," a title earned through his relentless work ethic, including reportedly sleeping on factory floors and mirroring Musk's frugal lifestyle. His loyalty and ability to navigate Musk's temperament made him one of the most influential figures at the company's Austin headquarters. Afshar's departure, while not officially confirmed by Tesla, comes at a pivotal time as the company seeks to recover from five consecutive months of declining sales in Europe and reduced EV demand in the U.S. China, Tesla's biggest international market, reported a 15% drop in sales in May. With Cybertruck production failing to meet targets and competitive pressure from Chinese EV firms, Tesla has chosen not to focus on expanding its electric vehicle lineup. Instead, Musk has pivoted towards robotaxis, AI, and humanoid robots -- a decision that analysts warn is a risky deviation, as these ventures currently generate no significant revenue. The company's recently launched robotaxi pilot in Austin, operational since June 22, has already faced scrutiny due to erratic vehicle behavior. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reportedly reviewing several incidents involving the autonomous test fleet. Afshar's exit also aligns with broader concerns over the Tesla brand's declining popularity, a trend exacerbated by Musk's increasing alignment with U.S. President Donald Trump and controversial policy advocacy under the DOGE federal cost-cutting initiative. Investors are watching closely as Tesla approaches the end of Q2, with delivery numbers expected to drop by over 10% year-on-year, according to analyst projections. Afshar last made headlines on June 23, celebrating Tesla's robotaxi milestone on X (formerly Twitter), calling it an "absolutely historic day." He wrote, "This has been years of hard work and focus by so many people within the company. Neither Musk nor Tesla has issued a formal statement regarding Afshar's exit, and Omead Afshar himself has not responded to media queries. Omead Afshar is a former senior executive at Tesla, widely known as a close confidant of CEO Elon Musk. He joined Tesla in 2017 and most recently served as Vice President, overseeing sales and manufacturing across North America and Europe. Afshar was one of Musk's most trusted lieutenants, often referred to as the "Musk Whisperer" for his ability to manage internal operations and navigate Musk's intense leadership style. His departure marks a major shake-up during a sensitive time for Tesla.