
Tesla VP Raj Jegannathan, who was tapped to steer North American gross sales after the earlier head was dismissed, has introduced his departure after 13 years on the automaker. It’s the most recent in a string of high-profile exits as Tesla’s gross sales proceed to wrestle.
Tesla’s ongoing expertise exodus
Jegannathan introduced his departure in a LinkedIn publish on Sunday, writing:
It’s difficult to encapsulate 13 years in a single publish. The journey at Tesla has been certainly one of steady evolution. From the technical intricacies of designing, constructing, and working one of many world’s largest AI clusters to impactful contributions in IT, Safety, Gross sales, and Service, it has been a privilege to serve.
His official title was VP of Data Know-how, AI Infrastructure, Enterprise Apps, and Data Safety. However Jegannathan took on a further vital function final yr when he was tasked with main Tesla’s North American gross sales workforce after longtime gross sales head Troy Jones was dismissed in July 2025.
Jones’ departure got here amid demand issues for the automaker, and Jegannathan’s exit means Tesla has now misplaced two North American gross sales leaders in lower than a yr.
The departure provides to what we’ve been monitoring as a major expertise exodus at Tesla. For the reason that April 2024 layoffs that eradicated over 10% of Tesla’s workforcethe corporate has seen a gradual stream of senior leaders head for the exits.
Latest notable departures in gross sales and repair embody:
The timing is especially regarding. Tesla’s annual income declined 3% in 2025 — the primary year-over-year drop on file — as the corporate faces an growing old car lineup and what many have described as a client backlash towards CEO Elon Musk’s political actions.
Moreover, we now have observed an uptick in departures at Tesla within the final week, following the revelation that CEO Elon Musk and board member Kimball Musk had a more in-depth relationship with the notorious intercourse trafficker Jeffrey Epstein than they beforehand claimed.
Electrek’s Take
The North America gross sales management place is changing into a revolving door at Tesla, and that’s not a great signal when demand are your greatest downside.
Jegannathan wasn’t a profession gross sales government; he got here from IT and AI infrastructure. The truth that Tesla tapped him to steer gross sales after Jones and Afshar left final yr suggests both an absence of certified inner candidates prepared to take the function, or a perception that the gross sales issues are extra operational than strategic.
Both approach, shedding him after simply months within the place means whoever comes subsequent could have vital strain.
I imagine Musk was presupposed to take over after Afshar, however as I famous on the time, it didn’t appear practical contemplating his schedule. Main Tesla’s NA gross sales is a full-time job. I wouldn’t be suprised in the event that they received Jegannathan to fill in and it was merely an excessive amount of for him.
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