Tesla has recently experienced another departure of a senior leader, with Raj Jegannathan announcing his exit after more than 13 years at the company. This departure carries added significance as Jegannathan had recently been appointed as Tesla’s new head of North American Sales, Service, and Delivery, following the departure of Troy Jones last summer. His exit comes just months after stepping into this crucial role, making him the second North American sales chief to leave in the span of a year.
In a reflective post on LinkedIn, Jegannathan acknowledged the challenges of encapsulating his 13-year journey at Tesla in a single post. He described his time at the company as one of continuous evolution, where he played a pivotal role in various aspects of Tesla’s internal operations. From designing and operating one of the world’s largest AI clusters to contributing to IT, Security, Sales, and Service, Jegannathan’s impact was felt across multiple functions within the company.
His diverse experience made him a natural choice to lead North American sales, particularly as Tesla transitions into a “physical AI company” focused on autonomy, humanoid robots, and AI-driven services. Jegannathan emphasized the importance of having a comprehensive understanding of the business to effectively leverage AI for achieving meaningful outcomes across products and customer support.
In his farewell message, Jegannathan expressed gratitude towards his colleagues, acknowledging their exceptionalism and the valuable lessons they taught him every day. He left Tesla with a full heart and excitement for what lies ahead, thanking the company for the wonderful opportunity.
Jegannathan’s departure adds to a series of high-profile exits from Tesla over the past year, raising questions about stability within the company. With multiple key executives leaving, including the heads of North American sales and the Cybertruck program manager, there is uncertainty about who will fill these crucial roles in the future.
As of now, Tesla has not announced who will succeed Jegannathan as the head of North American Sales, Service, and Delivery. The company’s ability to maintain stability and leadership continuity in one of its most critical regions remains a topic of interest.