Omead Afshar, the vice president overseeing sales and manufacturing for Tesla in North America and Europe, has reportedly been dismissed by CEO Elon Musk, as stated by Forbes. The precise reasons behind Musk's decision to fire Afshar remain unclear, particularly given that Afshar was considered one of Musk's closest confidants and top executives within the company. Both Afshar and Tesla have yet to respond to requests for further information regarding this shakeup.
The news of Afshar's departure was first brought to light by Bloomberg News. Interestingly, just days before his termination, Afshar had been actively promoting the limited rollout of Tesla's robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. On June 23, he expressed his enthusiasm on X, the social media platform owned by Musk, stating, “Absolutely historic day for Tesla. Thank you, Elon, for pushing us all!”
Afshar's exit arrives during a challenging time for Tesla, as the company has witnessed a significant decline in sales growth. In 2024, Tesla sold fewer vehicles than in 2023, marking the first annual drop in sales since the company began mass-producing electric vehicles (EVs) over a decade ago. Despite Musk's recent commitment to disengage from U.S. politics, his political involvement has not favorably influenced the company’s sales figures. As a result, sales continued to struggle through the first half of 2025, with the company reporting a staggering 71% year-over-year decline in profits during the first quarter.
European markets have also seen a downturn, with sales plummeting nearly 28% year-over-year in May. Tesla is poised to release its global delivery figures for the second quarter next week, followed by its financial results in mid-July, which analysts will be closely scrutinizing.
Although Afshar was not particularly visible in public-facing roles at Tesla, he was integral to the company’s operations. He joined Tesla in 2017 and played a significant role in the “office of the CEO,” gradually taking on more responsibilities. Musk has previously acknowledged Afshar's contributions, notably in leading the construction of Tesla's massive factory in Austin, Texas.
However, Afshar's tenure was not without controversy. In 2022, he became the subject of an internal investigation related to a plan involving the purchase of special materials for a glass building that Musk reportedly desired. This investigation garnered attention from both the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission, leading to inquiries into those transactions in 2023. During this tumultuous period, Afshar transitioned to SpaceX and was reportedly involved with X for some time before being promoted to vice president in late 2024, following the relocation of another executive, Tom Zhu, back to China.
In a related development, Bloomberg News has reported that Tesla's director of HR for North America, Jenna Ferrua, is also no longer with the company. Like Afshar, Ferrua did not respond promptly to requests for comments regarding her departure.
As Tesla navigates these leadership changes and ongoing market challenges, the implications for the company’s future remain a topic of keen interest among industry observers and investors alike.
