Zhu to Oversee Tesla’s U.S. Assembly

By Michael Elkins

According to a report from Reuters, Tom Zhu, Tesla’s chief in China, has been promoted to oversee the company’s assembly plants in the United States as well as its sales operations in North America and Europe. This information comes from an internal document that was reviewed by Reuters.

This promotion places Zhu as the second-highest executive at Tesla, directly beneath Chief Executive Elon Musk, with responsibility for deliveries across all major markets and the management of key production facilities.

Under this new structure, vehicle design will remain distinct from Zhu’s responsibilities, which suggests he may serve as a deputy to Musk in tackling immediate challenges related to global sales and production.

The report indicated that while Zhu’s title as vice president for Greater China remains unchanged, he continues to fulfill his role as Tesla’s senior executive for sales in other parts of Asia.

Zhu and his team were brought into Tesla late last year to address production issues in the United States, leading to speculation among his colleagues that he was being prepared for an expanded role.

Having joined Tesla in 2014, Zhu previously worked as a project manager for a company started by his MBA classmates at Duke University, where he advised Chinese contractors involved in infrastructure projects in Africa.

In related news, shares of Tesla (TSLA) were down 4.95% in pre-market trading on Tuesday.