Last Updated on January 3, 2023 by Bitfinsider

Tom Zhu, the manager of Tesla’s Chinese outlet, has been promoted to the position of highest-profile executive behind Elon Musk. Zhu will reportedly assume direct control of the US assembly facilities and European and North American sales operations of the electric vehicle manufacturer. It’s interesting to note that the Tesla China CEO still has the same duties and job description as before. These positions include vice president for Greater China and the top sales executive for the rest of Asia.

Musk seemed to be preoccupied with his new Twitter responsibilities at the time of Zhu’s elevation to Tesla’s second-highest-profile executive position globally. Additionally, it appears to be Tesla’s response to the need for a more pronounced senior executive structure in order to improve operations and stock focus. Zhu now has superior management over deliveries in all of Tesla’s important markets and major manufacturing center operations as a result of the appointment. While delegating responsibility for managing global sales and output to Musk, Zhu’s reporting structures would segregate Tesla’s car design and development. This restructuring was shown in an organizational chart that Tesla posted internally and that was backed up by two anonymous inside sources.

Following his promotion, a large number of Tesla managers located in various regions would begin reporting to Zhu. These people include Joe Ward, the vice president of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and Jason Shawhan, the director of manufacturing at the Gigafactory in Texas. Meanwhile, Tesla country managers in China, Japan, and the Australian region would continue to report to Zhu via the previously established channels.

Since late last year, there have been rumors that Zhu is being prepared for a more important job. Tesla at the time sent its China director and a group of his subordinates to deal with manufacturing issues in the US. Refinitiv’s most current data collection indicates that the business delivered 405,278 vehicles in the fourth quarter. Despite the fact that this number was below the consensus projection, there were over 100,000 more deliveries than in the same time last year.

High Management Performance

Tesla’s Shanghai site successfully recovered from Covid lockdowns when Zhu was in charge of China. Zhu displayed a strong work ethic and commitment to his position throughout the two-month lockdown. The Tesla China CEO reportedly started sleeping in the factory to keep things running smoothly.

Zhu’s physical appearance and way of life reflect his practical approach to work. According to reports, the CEO of Tesla China has a simple appearance and once lived in a government-funded flat adjacent to the Shanghai Gigafactory. It is unknown if he would relocate after receiving his promotion.

Zhu, who was born in China, is currently a citizen of New Zealand. The boss is just one of many employees who have recently been spotted commemorating the Texas plant’s output milestone. Zhu served as the production manager at a business started by his Duke University MBA classmates before beginning his employment at Tesla in 2014. He gave advice to Chinese contractors engaged in African infrastructure projects while he was there.