Tesla Motors has officially announced the appointment of Tom Zhu as the senior vice president of Tesla Motors Business Operations. Along with Drew Baglino, the senior vice president of Tesla Energy Engineering & Powertrain, Zhu is one of only two senior vice presidents at Tesla.
Zhu, who joined Tesla in April 2014, has served in various operational roles before becoming the global vice president and president of Greater China. In this role, he led the construction and operation of the Shanghai Gigafactory.
According to reports, Tom Zhu appointment is a significant move for Tesla as he brings a global perspective to the company’s core management team. GearMusk’s had previously discussed Tom Zhu with a colleague from Tesla China, stating that “Tom is getting farther and farther away from China.” With his appointment to the core management team, Zhu’s vision and ability to see problems and trade-offs are expected to become more global.