Tesla’s vice president for sales and manufacturing in North America and Europe, Omead Afshar, has reportedly been dismissed from the company by CEO Elon Musk. Afshar, considered one of Musk’s closest confidants and top aides at Tesla, had recently been promoted to his vice presidential role in late 2024 after several years of increasing responsibility within the company.
The specific reasons behind Afshar’s firing remain unclear, and Tesla has not publicly commented on the situation. Afshar himself did not respond to requests to comment.
The executive’s exit occurs at a challenging time for Tesla, following a sustained slowdown in sales growth. For the first time in the company’s history, Tesla delivered fewer vehicles in 2024 than it had the previous year, underscoring emerging struggles within a competitive EV market. Rising market pressure, combined with public controversies involving Musk’s political activities, have negatively impacted consumer sentiment and vehicle sales. Tesla reported a sharp 71% decline in profits year-over-year for the first quarter of 2025, while recent data showed European sales dropped approximately 28% in May compared to the prior year. Tesla is scheduled to release its second-quarter global delivery figures in the coming week and full quarterly financial results in mid-July.
Although Afshar kept a relatively low public profile, he has been a significant figure behind the scenes. Joining Tesla in 2017, he initially served directly in the office of the CEO, ultimately playing a crucial role in leading the rapid construction of the massive Tesla factory in Austin, Texas. He also recently supported the limited launch of Tesla’s robotaxi service in Austin, enthusiastically praising Musk via social media just days before his departure became widely publicized.
Afshar’s tenure at Tesla had not been entirely without controversy. In 2022, he became the focus of an internal investigation into the purchase of specialized materials for a glass structure reportedly intended for Musk’s personal project. That same acquisition later drew the attention of the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission, leading to official inquiries starting in 2023. During part of the period in question, Afshar spent some time at Musk’s other ventures, including SpaceX and the social media platform X.
Additionally, Tesla’s internal reshuffling includes the recent departure of Jenna Ferrua, the company’s North American human resources director, as reported by Bloomberg. Ferrua has not provided public comment regarding her exit from the company.
