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Tesla also just lost another CFO. Deepak Ahuja announced he’s leaving. Again. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/30/musk-says-tesla-cfo-deepak-ahuja-is-leaving-the-c

Tesla also just lost another CFO. Deepak Ahuja announced he’s leaving. Again. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/30/musk-says-tesla-cfo-deepak-ahuja-is-leaving-the-company.html https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/30/musk-says-tesla-cfo-deepak-a...

xkjkls 8y ago
And this much turmoil in an accounting department is never good. In the last year, they've lost 5 finance VPs, their CFO, and a CAO that they hired and left a month into his tenure. That would be shocking for any other $50 billion market cap company.
- Pharmakon 8y ago
  Oh absolutely. That much unplanned churn in the financial sector of a Girl Guides troop would be shocking! In a $50 billion market cap company it’s downright alarming. I really don’t know exactly what to make of it, but it factored into my decision to leave the stock the hell alone.
  - ksec 8y ago
    That is if they have something to hide, but since they are public and have to go through Audit. I wonder why are al these Financial people leaving.
    - kgwgk 8y ago
      Yes, they are public and have to go through audit and that's why all these people want to spend more time with their families... Probably the departing interim CFO won't be signing the 10-K filing, and apparently they weren't able to find anyone better than Zach willing to do so.
kgwgk 8y ago
Elon: "And we thought long and hard about who the right person is to take over from Deepak, and that's Zach. And Zach has been with Tesla now for nine years... [...] So Zach, you had management and technology at Wharton undergrad and then worked at Tesla and then spent a couple of years at Harvard Business School, which I actually don't think was necessary, by the way."
- Pharmakon 8y ago
  Jesus. It’s hard not to worry about this particular combination of events. Is there a benign explanation?
  - marvin 8y ago
    Comparing it to the history of other companies, it might seem like a less likely explanation, but I'll give it a shot: Deepak Ahuja came out of retirement after the departure or Jason Wheeler, during a critical part of the company's history. Cash flow was critical during this period, so it made sense to choose a CFO who both has a long history with the company and was able to take over on short notice. Now that Ahuja returns to retirement, Tesla figures it's better to hire an insider than get someone with external experience, given how many external executives they're losing after a short time. In this scenario, the executive departures are taken at face value, namely that Tesla is such a chaotic and stressful environment that it's a bad match for many executives who thrive in other companies.
    - Pharmakon 8y ago
      All good points. I would reply with, “Why Zach?” Are the current and future financials so exceptional that they can afford someone with no record of performance at this level as the CFO? On the other hand, if Mr. Ahuja signs the 10-K on the way out that would allay my fears that Zach is just the guy lining up on a future chopping block.

xkjkls 8y ago

And this much turmoil in an accounting department is never good. In the last year, they've lost 5 finance VPs, their CFO, and a CAO that they hired and left a month into his tenure. That would be shocking for any other $50 billion market cap company.

Pharmakon 8y ago
Oh absolutely. That much unplanned churn in the financial sector of a Girl Guides troop would be shocking! In a $50 billion market cap company it’s downright alarming. I really don’t know exactly what to make of it, but it factored into my decision to leave the stock the hell alone.
- ksec 8y ago
  That is if they have something to hide, but since they are public and have to go through Audit. I wonder why are al these Financial people leaving.
  - kgwgk 8y ago
    Yes, they are public and have to go through audit and that's why all these people want to spend more time with their families... Probably the departing interim CFO won't be signing the 10-K filing, and apparently they weren't able to find anyone better than Zach willing to do so.

kgwgk 8y ago

Elon: "And we thought long and hard about who the right person is to take over from Deepak, and that's Zach. And Zach has been with Tesla now for nine years... [...] So Zach, you had management and technology at Wharton undergrad and then worked at Tesla and then spent a couple of years at Harvard Business School, which I actually don't think was necessary, by the way."

Pharmakon 8y ago
Jesus. It’s hard not to worry about this particular combination of events. Is there a benign explanation?
- marvin 8y ago
  Comparing it to the history of other companies, it might seem like a less likely explanation, but I'll give it a shot: Deepak Ahuja came out of retirement after the departure or Jason Wheeler, during a critical part of the company's history. Cash flow was critical during this period, so it made sense to choose a CFO who both has a long history with the company and was able to take over on short notice. Now that Ahuja returns to retirement, Tesla figures it's better to hire an insider than get someone with external experience, given how many external executives they're losing after a short time. In this scenario, the executive departures are taken at face value, namely that Tesla is such a chaotic and stressful environment that it's a bad match for many executives who thrive in other companies.
  - Pharmakon 8y ago
    All good points. I would reply with, “Why Zach?” Are the current and future financials so exceptional that they can afford someone with no record of performance at this level as the CFO? On the other hand, if Mr. Ahuja signs the 10-K on the way out that would allay my fears that Zach is just the guy lining up on a future chopping block.