Tesla Loses Veteran CFO Deepak Ahuja as Zach Kirkhorn Takes Over
Tesla experiences another shift in its finance department as longtime Chief Financial Officer Deepak Ahuja retires and hands the reins to vice president of finance Zach Kirkhorn.
Tesla announces that Chief Financial Officer Deepak Ahuja retires from the electric car company after nearly 11 years. This marks the second time Ahuja resigns from his post, having previously left in 2015 before returning in 2017 to replace his successor. Following the news, Tesla's stock price drops 4.5 percent as investors react to the sudden leadership change.
Zach Kirkhorn, previously Tesla's vice president of finance, steps into the CFO role to lead the company's financial operations. Ahuja expresses strong confidence in Kirkhorn, noting that he proves himself capable of handling tough challenges over the years. Kirkhorn brings extensive internal experience, having worked on every major program from the original Roadster to the company's energy business since he joins in 2010.
CEO Elon Musk reveals that Ahuja stays on for a few more months and serves as a senior adviser for years to come. This executive departure adds to a pattern of high turnover within Tesla's finance team, which recently saw Chief Accounting Officer Dave Morton leave after less than a month on the job. Despite these changes, Kirkhorn insists the company starts 2019 with a strong financial foundation and enough cash to fund new technologies.