Tesla has promoted its China chief Tom Zhu to take oversight of its U.S. assembly plants and sales operations in Europe and North America. Zhu’s position of vice president for Greater China remains unchanged as he retained his roles as Tesla’s senior-most executive for sales in the Asia as of 3rd January.
This move makes Tom Zhu the second highest-profile executive at Tesla just after CEO Elon Musk.
The reporting lines for Zhu will keep Tesla’s vehicle design and development separate. Zhu will be an apparent deputy to Tesla’s CEO to manage the near-term challenges of global sales and output.
Tom Zhu’s promotion to a global role comes when Musk is engaged with his acquisition of Twitter. Tesla analysts, investors, and stakeholders have urged proactive action that will deepen the senior executive bench of the company.
