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Tesla moves top car executive Tom Zhu to China in shake-up, US report says

  • The Austin-based senior vice-president had previously been based in China, heading the carmaker’s Asia-Pacific operations
  • Tesla has seen a major staff shake-up in recent weeks, cutting over 10 per cent of headcount globally amid a slowdown in electric vehicle sales

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Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk (left) walks next to Tesla’s Senior Vice-President Tom Zhu (right) and Vice-President Grace Tao as he leaves a hotel in Beijing, China in May 2023. Photo: Reuters
Bloomberg

Tesla Inc. is sending executive Tom Zhu back to China, where he led the carmaker’s entry into the country, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Zhu, one of the company’s three named executive officers, was promoted to senior vice-president of automotive in April 2023, a role in which he oversaw global production, sales, deliveries, service and the company’s factories.

He had previously been based in China, heading the carmaker’s Asia-Pacific operations.

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The move comes as Tesla is pushing to make up for lost ground in the world’s biggest vehicle market.

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Elon Musk meets Premier Li Qiang in Beijing amid Tesla bid to promote self-driving tech

Elon Musk meets Premier Li Qiang in Beijing amid Tesla bid to promote self-driving tech

Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk visited China in April, receiving in-principle approval from government officials to deploy its driver-assistance system in the country.

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