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.
The move comes as Tesla is pushing to make up for lost ground in the world’s biggest vehicle market.
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.
Tesla has seen a major staff shake-up in recent weeks.
Musk announced the company would cut more than 10 per cent of headcount globally amid a slowdown in electric vehicle sales. Several key executives have also left Tesla.
Zhu has been based in Austin since late 2022, when he arrived to run the company’s newest plant at its headquarters city.
At one point last summer, he had 25 direct reports, including Troy Jones, Tesla’s head of North American sales.
Zhu now just has 10 direct reports, according to people familiar with the matter, nearly all of whom are based in Asia.
