Elon Musk-Led Tesla Appoints Indian-Origin Executive as CFO
Yet another Indian professional has made to the top global corporate rung, with Elon Musk-promoted Tesla appointing Indian-origin Vaibhav Taneja as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Taneja, who is currently serving as the Chief Accounting Officer of the electric vehicle maker, will take the CFO position as an additional responsibility. He will replace Zachary Kirkhorn who completes his 13-year stint with Tesla.
The company did not specify the reason for the change, but Kirkhorn is expected to remain in his position till the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition, Reuters reported.
“Being a part of this company is a special experience and I’m extremely proud of the work we’ve done together since I joined over 13 years ago,” Kirkhorn said in a LinkedIn post.
A commerce graduate from the University of Delhi, Taneja became a part of the company’s team following the company’s acquisition of SolarCity in 2016.
Alongside his primary responsibility as chief accounting officer, he assumed the significant role of “Master of Coin” within the organisation, the company said.
The appointment comes at a time when the electric vehicle maker is aiming to boost its sales and capture more market share, as also looking to make a foray into the Indian market with plans to set up manufacturing facilities.
Elon Musk’s diverse ventures beyond Tesla
Interestingly, the outgoing CFO Kirkhorn was once considered the successor of Musk when the investors expressed concerns over the succession plan in Tesla.
Along with Tesla, Musk currently heads SpaceX, Neuralink, and the Boring Company. He also serves as the Chief Technology Officer of X (earlier known as Twitter).
