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Tesla boss Elon Musk has reportedly fired longtime “fixer” Omead Afshar, the head of the company’s North American and Europe operations, after a prolonged sales slump in the key regions.
Afshar was long considered one of Tesla’s most powerful executives and had been promoted to oversee sales and manufacturing in the two regions last October. Forbes was first to report on the firing, citing people familiar with the matter.
Tesla did not immediately return The Post’s request for comment. Musk, who frequently provides business updates on his X account, has yet to address Afshar’s status.
The exact timing of Afshar’s exit was not immediately clear, though news of his departure has reportedly been discussed by some Tesla employees in recent days, Bloomberg reported. Afshar’s name has also been removed from an internal employee directory.
Afshar’s reported ouster is the latest sign of turmoil at Tesla, with shares down more than 13% since the start of the year as Musk’s close ties the Trump administration fueled a global backlash.
Tesla’s sales in Europe plunged 28% in May, marking the fifth straight month of declines as Musk’s firm cedes ground to BYD and other Chinese electric car makers, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.
In late May, Musk ended his Washington stint as DOGE cost-cutter, offering some reassurance to investors concerned about brand damage and his limited focus on Tesla.
Tesla will report its second-quarter delivery numbers next week – an announcement that will be closely watched by investors.
Afshar joined Tesla in 2017 and quickly rose through the ranks to become one of Musk’s trusted lieutenants, playing a central role in major projects including the construction of the Texas Gigafactory.
A 2024 Wall Street Journal profile referred to Afshar as Musk’s “fixer” and one of the most powerful executives at Tesla.
As recently as Tuesday, Afshar posted on X touting progress in the performance of Tesla’s Robotaxis in Austin, Texas.
On Monday, he described the Robotaxi rollout as an “absolutely historic day for Tesla.”
“This has been *years* of hard work and focus by so many people within the company. Thank you, Elon, for pushing us all!” Afshar wrote.
The company plans to expand the service to more cities in the US, but some analysts and experts have warned that the mass roll-out could be tough, given concerns about safety and the technology.
Afshar’s departure also follows a wave of executive exits in 2024, triggered by company-wide restructuring as Tesla cut thousands of jobs and reoriented its focus toward artificial intelligence-based self-driving technology and robotics.
Those that have left include CFO Zach Kirkhorn, chief battery engineer Drew Baglino, and Rebecca Tinucci, who led the Supercharging division.
Milan Kovac, who led engineering on the company’s Optimus robot, resigned to spend more time with his family.
Separately, Jenna Ferrua, who headed human resources operations in Austin, has also quit, according to latest media reports.
Wall Street has been concerned about Tesla’s aging car lineup and increased competition abroad, while Musk’s work with President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency contributed to a brand crisis.
Tesla backers say self-driving Robotaxis will have a transformative impact on the company’s business. For the limited rollout in Texas, Tesla placed safety officers in the front seat to monitor the vehicle’s behavior.
Despite the safety measures, some Robotaxis experienced glitches and even appeared to violate local traffic laws.
