Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer Zachary Kirkhorn has resigned after four years in the position, the manufacturer announced on Monday. Kirkhorn will be replaced as Tesla’s chief accounting officer by Indian-origin Vaibhav Taneja. Kirkhorn, who has been with Tesla for 13 years, will stay on until the end of the year to help with the transition.
According to Reuters, Tesla achieved its first quarterly profit during Kirkhorn’s tenure after launching the mass-market Model 3 tiny automobile and reaching a market valuation of more than $1 trillion. Kirkhorn was named CFO in March 2019. Deepak Ahuja, who served from March 2017 to March 2019, was succeeded by him.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed Kirkhorn’s appointment and Ahuja’s departure during a conference call with investors to discuss the company’s quarterly performance.
Kirkhorn announced his resignation as Tesla’s CFO in a LinkedIn article. “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.”
Vaibhav Taneja
Taneja joined Tesla after the company purchased SolarCity in 2016. He will serve as “Master of Coin” in addition to his post as chief accounting officer, according to the manufacturer. Taneja worked nearly 17 years with PwC, a consultancy and tax services firm, before joining Tesla.
Taneja has a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Delhi University. According to his LinkedIn page, he studied accounting at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and became a qualified public accountant in 2016.
